selfreflexivity

Self-reflexivity, also spelled selfreflexivity or self-reflexivity, refers to the practice or quality of turning critical attention back on oneself, one’s assumptions, or the process by which knowledge is produced. It involves awareness that perception, interpretation, and theory are not neutral but shaped by social, cultural, and personal factors. The term is used across disciplines to describe self-referential insight that informs analysis, creation, or inquiry.

In sociology and anthropology, self-reflexivity describes researchers’ ongoing examination of how their positions, experiences, and methods influence data collection and interpretation. Reflexive practices seek transparency about biases and the social construction of knowledge, often guiding methodological choices. In broader social theory, reflexivity refers to the capacity of actors and institutions to reflect on their own role and to alter practices accordingly.

In literature and art, self-reflexivity appears as metafiction or self-referential narration where a work draws attention to its status as a text, the act of storytelling, or the artifice of representation. This usage invites readers to consider how meaning is produced and questions the boundary between fiction and reality.

In philosophy and epistemology, self-reflexivity underscores the limits of knowledge and the idea that knowing subjects are part of what is known. It is a feature of some strands of post-structuralism and critical theory, where claims to objectivity are interrogated and the conditions of possibility for understanding are examined.

Critics caution that excessive self-reflexivity can lead to relativism or paralysis by overemphasizing process over substance. Practically, successful self-reflexivity balances critical self-examination with productive action, maintaining clarity about aims while remaining open to revision.