Awareness of oneself and the environment constitutes a key area of study within the field of psychology. This state encompasses subjective experiences, thoughts, sensations, and perceptions. For example, recognizing internal feelings of hunger or observing external events like a sunset both represent elements of this awareness. Variations in this state range from full alertness to sleep, hypnosis, and altered states induced by substances or meditation.
Understanding this concept is fundamental for exploring various psychological phenomena, including attention, memory, and decision-making. It informs investigations into disorders affecting awareness, such as coma or vegetative states. Historically, exploring this subject was limited by its subjective nature, but modern neuroscience techniques, such as brain imaging, have allowed for more objective investigations into its neural correlates. Its study holds implications for understanding the self, moral responsibility, and the nature of reality itself.
