selfmonitors

Selfmonitors are entities capable of observing and regulating their own behavior or state, without requiring external commands. The term is used in psychology to describe people who adjust their behavior to fit social situations and in engineering to denote systems that monitor their own health or performance.

In psychology, self-monitoring refers to the degree to which individuals regulate their behavior to meet external demands and social cues. High self-monitors actively tailor their expressions, communications, and actions to fit audiences, often showing versatility across social settings. Low self-monitors rely more on internal standards and may be more consistent across situations. The concept, introduced by Mark Snyder, is used to study impression management, leadership, and social influence. Measurement often uses self-report scales; results vary across contexts and cultures.

In technology, self-monitoring describes systems equipped with self-checking capabilities. Built-in self-test, health-monitoring software, and anomaly detection allow devices to detect faults, monitor resource usage, and trigger alerts or maintenance. Applications include aerospace, automotive, industrial control, and consumer electronics. Self-monitoring improves reliability and safety but depends on sensor accuracy and proper interpretation of alarms.

Healthcare and consumer technology use self-monitoring to track health metrics, symptoms, or biometric data. While empowering users to manage conditions, self-monitoring raises privacy considerations and risks of misinterpretation without professional guidance.

See also: self-monitoring, built-in self-test, health monitoring, autonomous systems, self-healing software.