Self-awareness, the capacity to regard oneself as an object of awareness, remains a puzzle addressed by religion, philosophy, and science. This review examines the neurocognitive mechanisms behind self-awareness, describing it as a multidimensional, emergent property that manifests at different levels of cognitive complexity, framed within predictive coding theory. It discusses how self-awareness is altered in neuropsychiatric conditions and evaluates alternative frameworks for understanding it in both health and psychopathology. The article identifies gaps in current knowledge and suggests directions for future research.
Neuroscientific methods have heavily shaped public perception of clinical psychology, but their contribution to understanding human psychology and the self is limited. This article reviews the shortcomings of a psychopharmacological approach to mental disorders and proposes a psychological model where current neuroscientific research describes symptoms, not causes. The model aligns with network theories of disorders and emphasizes the Pattern Theory of the Self, arguing that disruptions to the psychological self are central to mental disorders. The author calls for reconsidering the philosophical foundations of clinical psychology and neuroscience to develop more effective interventions.