On the evolution of the human self: A data-driven review and reconsideration

Abstract

We revisit the thesis we first offered in 1997, namely, that the human capacity called "the self" is the product of evolutionary pressures. A review of the literature accumulated in the 20 years prompted three changes to the original thesis. First, we expanded our 1997 conception of the self. We argue that the self consists of a multiplicity of cognitions, each of which may reflect the action of a different neural system. Second, we revised the timeline for the evolution of the human self. At least some components of the human self were present in hominids earlier than the 100,000 years-old date that we speculated served as the oldest-age boundary for the emergence of the self. Third, we supplemented the evidentiary basis by relying on advances in brain structure, brain function, and the genetic underpinnings of the brain. In comparison to the state of knowledge in 1997, there is more reason to assert in 2017 that humans have the capacity to experience a self because this trait was selected via evolution.

Lost in the crowd: Conformity as escape following disbelief in free will

“…Thus, people with a tendency for symbolic self-awareness are more acutely aware if a lack of meaning is present (Kim et al, 2014). Symbolic self-awareness refers to people's capacity for a flexible, multi-faceted, and abstract cognitive representation of one's own attributes (Sedikides & Skowronski, 1997;Skowronski & Sedikides, 2017). Directing attention toward the self initiates an evaluative process, in which one's current state is compared with ideal standards on salient dimensions (e.g., meaninglessness; Duval & Wicklund, 1972).…”

Existential escape of the bored: A review of meaning-regulation processes under boredom

“…Presymbolic mechanisms are assumed to operate by reducing objective self-awareness and thereby reducing attention to the meaning threat the self is facing. This contention builds on the notion that the perception of meaning threats is founded on an awareness of one's own attributes and needs (Kim, Seto, Davis, & Hicks, 2015;Sedikides & Skowronski, 1997, 2003Skowronski & Sedikides, 2019). An outline of this existential escape process is presented in Figure 1.…”

The free will capacity: A uniquely human adaption.

“…The notion of an evolved “symbolic self” is helpful in this context (Sedikides & Skowronski, 1997; Skowronski & Sedikides, 2019). According to these authors, the SS is a highly complex and shifting mental construct that combines narratives, self-beliefs, agentic capacities, and much more into a loosely integrated experiential composite.…”