Environment-Related and Body-Related Components of the Minimal Self.

Perceptual changes caused by an agent's own actions can contribute to the minimal self, but these changes occur across different sensory modalities and vary in temporal and spatial proximity to the agent. Some changes affect the biological body and are conveyed by private sensory signals, while others occur in the environment and are conveyed by public sensory signals. The authors argue that although these signals have considerable functional overlap in generating self-experience, they should be distinguished in theories and empirical research on self-development.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Perceptual changes that an agent produces by efferent activity can become part of the agent's minimal self. Yet, in human agents, efferent activities produce perceptual changes in various sensory modalities and in various temporal and spatial proximities. Some of these changes occur at the "biological" body, and they are to some extent conveyed by "private" sensory signals, whereas other changes occur in the environment of that biological body and are conveyed by "public" sensory signals. We discuss commonalties and differences of these signals for generating selfhood. We argue that despite considerable functional overlap of these sensory signals in generating self-experience, there are reasons to tell them apart in theorizing and empirical research about development of the self.