selfobservation

Self-observation is the deliberate and systematic attention to one’s own thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and behaviors as they arise, with the aim of understanding internal processes and how they influence actions. It encompasses inner experiences and observable conduct, and can be descriptive rather than evaluative.

Common methods include journaling or thought records, mood or symptom tracking, experience sampling, and mindfulness-based observation that emphasizes nonjudgmental awareness of present-moment experiences.

In psychology, self-observation appears as self-monitoring and introspective reporting; it is used in behavior modification, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and metacognitive research. Philosophically, it relates to introspection and phenomenology, with debates about reliability due to biases, memory distortions, and reactivity.

Applications range from personal development and stress management to clinical assessment and educational settings. Limitations include subjectivity, selective memory, and reactivity to being observed; ethical considerations include privacy and consent when recording self-data, especially in research or shared contexts.