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Let's face it: A review of Keenan's book "The Face in the Mirror"

Morin, Alain (2003) Let's face it: A review of Keenan's book "The Face in the Mirror". [Preprint]

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Abstract

Using neuroimaging experiments and neuropsychological case studies, Keenan mainly examines the neural basis of mirror self-recognition (MSR) and Theory of Mind (TOM), and proposes that self-awareness is dominantly associated with areas of the right hemisphere. I believe that this conclusion is both inflated and premature. MSR is only superficially related to genuine, fully mature human self-awareness. Furthermore, TOM should not be equated with self-awareness because some forms of it (e.g., self-rumination) actually interfere with thinking about others' mental states. One more general (and serious) problem with the book is the proposal that because MSR and TOM are mainly generated by right hemispheric activity, then it follows that self-awareness itself is associated with activity of the same hemisphere. Recent studies on autobiographical memory and self-description also indicate left hemispheric activit

Item Type:Preprint
Keywords:Self-awareness; self-recognition, theory-of-mind, neuroanatomy; language; hemispheric specialization; primates; autobiographical memory; self-description.
Subjects:Neuroscience > Brain Imaging
Biology > Animal Cognition
Biology > Primatology
Psychology > Comparative Psychology
Psychology > Evolutionary Psychology
Neuroscience > Behavioral Neuroscience
ID Code:3124
Deposited By:Morin, Alain
Deposited On:27 Aug 2003
Last Modified:12 Sep 2007 17:48

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