Introspection Definition: How to Guide Introspection

Introspection is the psychological, philosophical, and spiritual examination of your thoughts and feelings through self-reflection. Though less formally defined as soul-searching or an awareness of your mind, in epistemology (the study of human knowledge), cognitive science, and scientific psychology, introspection explores the difference between your justified beliefs and your opinions.

The history of introspection began in the 1870s with the advent of experimental psychology. The psychologist Wilhelm Wundt pioneered the research technique of self-observation through psychological review and verbal reports at the University of Leipzig, encouraging his patients to methodically self-reflect on their mental processes and conscious thoughts. His student Edward Titchener continued his work, creating a research lab at Cornell University in 1894 and developing precise introspective methods which examined a patient’s self-knowledge and thought processes in response to a stimulus.

You can approach the psychological process of introspective self-examination by employing one of these two popular methods:

1. 1. Multi-process self-detection: According to the philosopher Eric Schwitzgebel, multi-process self-detection uses introspective access through rumination to interact with your philosophy of mind, creating a bridge from thoughts to your real-world activities. For example, if you’re about to go on a first date and your use of introspection leads you to believe the date will go badly, your judgment about this thought may give you anxiety. Too much focus on negative emotions can affect your well-being.
2. 2. Self-monitoring: Schwitzgebel notes that the simplest method of examining your conscious experience is to notice and keep track of what’s happening in your mind. Mindfulness meditation focuses on observing your thoughts without judgment, creating a detached observational self-awareness that allows for an accurate account of introspection and your mental states.

Regular introspection, done right, can positively benefit your overall mental health. The potential benefits of becoming an introspectionist include:

1. 1. Confronting fear: When you’re afraid, you may find yourself in a fight-or-flight mindset that dictates your actions without much thought. Taking the time to examine your concerns without becoming attached to them will help you see your strength to overcome obstacles. Learn more about how to overcome fear.
2. 2. Defending against community bias: The social psychology of humans has made us a community-oriented species. Your group’s thinking can easily sway you, even if it’s not in your best interest. By examining your thoughts, you can parse out your true feelings from those of the crowd around you.
3. 3. Finding personal fulfillment: Self-reflection helps you define personal happiness metrics. By asking yourself what makes you happy and why, you can set goals to reach fulfillment and balance in your life.
4. 4. Increasing personal knowledge: Knowing your inner workings lets you take an honest look at yourself and assess what you see. Self-honesty builds self-esteem and paves the road to make changes in your life if you choose.
5. 5. Making better decisions: Examining your thoughts when making a decision aids in making choices that feel right to you objectively and morally. Introspective reports, such as listing how you feel about a situation, help you weigh your options. Learn about decision-making styles.

Too much introspection can become a burden. Here are some to watch out for:

1. 1. Cognitive bias: Self-reflection may lead to the introspection illusion, a cognitive bias in which you wrongly believe you have insight into why you feel the way you do while thinking other people’s introspections are inaccurate. Learn how to identify cognitive bias.
2. 2. Negative thoughts: Because introspection requires you to examine your thoughts and feelings, negative thoughts can fuel negative actions. Viewing your thoughts and feelings with a detached acceptance will keep you from getting too caught up in a false emotional narrative.
3. 3. Only benefits adults: The attribution of introspective ability in children raises questions among experts, who state that self-reflection in the very young is particularly difficult to measure.
4. 4. Subjectivity: Studying introspection poses challenges due to the subjectivity of the person describing their experience. It’s unlikely you would be able to examine or repeat the results, as different people express different thoughts and feelings about the same stimuli.

Even though mindfulness meditation helps enormously with introspection, you may find using guided questions as a jumping-off point equally helpful. You can guide your introspection with the following questions, which build on each other:

1. 1. Who am I? Who do I want to be?
2. 2. How do I feel about myself? Do I like myself? Do I like how I behave in the world?
3. 3. What matters the most to me?
4. 4. What frightens me? What are my worries?
5. 5. Am I achieving the goals I want to achieve? What are my goals?
6. 6. Am I letting situations over which I have no control make me anxious?
7. 7. Am I living true to myself? To my beliefs and desires?
8. 8. Am I taking care of myself physically?
9. 9. Am I clinging to a person, regret, or belief I need to release?
10. 10. What matters the most to me?
11. 11. When did I last challenge a fear?
12. 12. What would I like to change about myself and my life?
13. 13. What is my favorite way to spend the day?

Consider using a journal to write down your thoughts and answers to these questions, and avoid judging any of your answers. Learn how to start and keep a journal.

Figuring out what you want to do next and how to get there? Learn how to embrace your passions with a MasterClass Annual Membership and find the grit to take control of your life with exclusive access to video lessons taught by the world’s best, including Robin Arzón, Elaine Welteroth, Hillary Rodham Clinton, RuPaul, and more.