Through with the looking glass: escape responses to implicit mirror exposure.
Christopher T Burris, Eugene Lai
Consciousness and Cognition December 11, 2011 DOI: 10.1016/j.concog.2011.10.016 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Keywords | Humans Escape reaction Self concept Awareness Psychological theory Ontario Female Mind-body relations, metaphysical |
| Key points | Argues that incidental exposure to one's mirror image shifts preferences toward different "escape routes" depending on how chronically "trapped" in the body a person feels: those less "trapped" showed more interest in flow and less in low-level thinking or subjective meaning, and mirror exposure raised overall interest in "pure consciousness events." Contends these effects are more diverse than Objective Self-Awareness theory predicts, warranting further theoretical development. |
Abstract
Based on the assumption that confrontation with one's physical reflection can be aversive, we explored the appeal of possible "escape routes" when incidentally exposed to one's mirror image. Compared to their no-exposure peers, individuals who felt less chronically "trapped" in their bodies showed increased interest in flow experiences and decreased interest in experiences involving low-level thinking or a subjective sense of meaning when exposed to their reflection. Mirror exposure also increased overall interest in "pure consciousness events," wherein the transcendence of space and time figures centrally. The aversive effects of even implicit confrontation with one's reflection therefore seem more diverse than anticipated based on existing frameworks such as Objective Self-Awareness theory, so additional theoretical development seems warranted.