Meaning of Self-references
MEANING OF SELF-REFERENCES
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WHAT IS SELF-REFERENCE
WHAT DOES SELFREFERENTIAL MEAN?
We say that a process is self-referential when it refers to itself or operates on itself. Self-referential or self-organizing social or psychological systems construct their own reality by applying internally generated principles and rules.
Seen by the opposite, a process, system or person is not self-referential when fed from external references. On the contrary, when it uses as a reference parts of the same system, person or process, it becomes self-referential.
SELF-REFERENCE IN BELIEFS
Self-reference is a key factor that can cause a belief to become a mental virus. Self-reference occurs when the belief becomes circular or self-referential. Self-referential beliefs feed themselves, just like a virus. Hence the name of mental viruses.
An example of self-referential belief or mental virus is the belief of not believing in anything. In fact, this self-reference is a paradox, since if I do not believe in anything, I can not have the belief stated.
EXAMPLES OF SELF-REFERENCE
An example of "self-referenced" perception would consist in placing between two mirrors and seeing our image in a mirror that reflects it on the other, thus creating the experience of "seeing oneself seeing oneself".
EXTERNAL REFERENCE OR SELF-REFERENCE
Self-referential processes can be contrasted with those that have external references. The processes of external reference operate in response to rules and feedbacks coming mainly from outside, or that are alien to the process itself or system. In general, healthy systems maintain a balance between "self-reference" and "external reference" (or "other" reference).
PSYCHOLOGY OF SELF-REFERENCE
Self-reference is of great interest in the field of psychology and linguistics. A simple explanation of the self - reference effect is when we analyze ourselves. When we spend time trying to observe ourselves, we are being self-referential, since the observer is trying to describe the observer. When one is trying to describe himself, he is trying to describe himself from his own system of beliefs and perceptions, for which reason such opinions are affected by the system itself.
WHEN A SYSTEM OR PROCESS IS, IN EXCLUSIVE SELF-REFERENCE, IT CAN CAUSE PATHOLOGIES AND PARADOXES.
SELFREFERENTIAL IN ONTOLOGICAL COACHING
Ontological coaching has been able to take advantage of the concept of self-reference. The Coach becomes an observer, who is not part of the client's belief system or behavior. In this way, the Coach's gaze seeks to show his client, something he could not see for himself, due to self-reference.
THE EFFECT OF SELF-REFERENCE IN PSYCHOLOGY
The effect of self-reference is the tendency to remember much better the information relevant to the self-concept [understanding self-concept as the perception that a person has of himself than any other type of information.
In the first place, the important aspects for the self are well structured and organized in the memory. Secondly, the information that significantly affects the self is elaborated more than another type of information and, since it is well structured previously, it is better codified.
This effect of information relevant to the self on memory has been proven in a meta-analysis by Symons and Johnson. The review of these authors leads them to conclude that, in general, the information about a person who is well known is better remembered (not only the information related to the self), because that information is well organized and It has been carefully crafted. This general trend would explain that you remember especially well the information about the person who is best known: oneself.
OTHER EXAMPLES OF SELF-REFERENCE
For example, people who are only self-referential seem self-centered and arrogant.
Cancer is a biological example of a system (or part of the system) that has become too self-referential. It grows and extends to a point where it is destructive to the rest of the system.
IAFI and Self-references: The subject self-references is seen in the Master in NLP (second level of NLP) when we approach beliefs and mental viruses. You may also be interested in our ontological coaching courses. If you are interested in the topic, we prepare these articles on the types of beliefs, the importance of beliefs about identity, and the definition of belief.
