Theoretical Approaches to Investigate Self-Understanding: Literature Review

Postolati, Ecaterina

Ecaterina Postolati (PhD student) * epostolati@gmail.com * ORCID: 0000-0001-7730-7121 * ResearcherID: N-7945-2018
Moldova State University, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Chisinau

KEY WORDS: self-understanding, self-awareness, self-knowledge, cognitive phenomenon, existential phenomenon.

ABSTRACT:
In this informational-analytical paper results of the most relevant international research on selfunderstanding are analyzed and summarized. This work is aimed to summarize different approaches of investigating self-understanding from various perspectives of developmental psychology, psychology of knowledge, narrative psychology, psychoanalysis and humanistic psychology. An attempt is made to separate the phenomenon of self-understanding from selfknowledge, self-awareness, self-esteem, self-reflection, etc. The analysis of the features of selfunderstanding is carried out in the framework of two different tendencies: it is viewed as a cognitive phenomenon (emphasis on the process and result of the formation of knowledge about oneself) and as an existential phenomenon (appealing primarily to the value-semantic aspects of self-understanding).

CORRESPONDING AUTHOR:
Ecaterina Postolati, Sarmizegetusa str. 14/3, ap. 59, MD-2015, Chisinau, MOLDOVA. E-mail: epostolati@gmail.com.

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