Introspektive

Introspektive refers to the act or process of examining one's own conscious thoughts, feelings, and mental states. The term combines Latin roots in- (“inward”) and specere (“to look”). In German usage, introspektive can describe both a psychological method and a literary or narrative technique that foregrounds inner experience.

In psychology, introspection is a method of self-observation in which individuals report their internal experiences. It played a prominent role in early experimental psychology and structuralism but faced criticism for limited reliability and subjective bias. Contemporary applications often combine introspective reports with objective measures, such as behavioral data or physiological indicators, and self-report questionnaires are common in clinical and educational settings.

In literature and film, introspective techniques focus on inner life rather than external action. This includes interior monologue, stream of consciousness, and subjective narration that reveals a character’s thoughts and feelings. In German-language literature, the term can describe a narrative stance that emphasizes the protagonist’s inner life, sometimes at the expense of external events.

In philosophy and phenomenology, introspection is considered a method for examining the contents of consciousness, though philosophers debate its scope, limits, and relation to external reality. The concept is also discussed in relation to reflexivity in social research, which emphasizes researchers’ awareness of their own influence on the study.

Related terms include introspection, introspective narrative, interior monologue, and stream of consciousness.