title: Five levels of self-awareness as they unfold early in life.
abstract: When do children become aware of themselves as differentiated and unique entity in the world? When and how do they become self-aware? Based on some recent empirical evidence, 5 levels of self-awareness are presented and discussed as they chronologically unfold from the moment of birth to approximately 4-5 years of age. A natural history of children's developing self-awareness is proposed as well as a model of adult self-awareness that is informed by the dynamic of early development. Adult self-awareness is viewed as the dynamic flux between basic levels of consciousness that develop chronologically early in life.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Emory University, 532 North Kilgo Circle, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rochat
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001364:Awareness; D001828:Body Image; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003243:Consciousness; D004532:Ego; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D007699:Kinesthesis; D018187:Personal Construct Theory; D011434:Proprioception; D002666:Psychology, Child; D012938:Social Perception; D014110:Touch