State-dependent selfhood refers to the concept that an individual’s sense of self or identity can vary depending on their internal states or external conditions, such as emotional, cognitive, social, or physiological states. This idea suggests that selfhood is not fixed but can change or be constructed differently across various contexts and situations. ## Conceptual Basis State-dependent selfhood is understood as the self being dynamically constructed rather than a fixed, intrinsic entity. It reflects how selfhood changes with internal experiences such as emotions and cognitive states or with external social contexts. This view contrasts with classical notions of a stable, unchanging self and supports the idea that self-awareness and identity can fluctuate depending on factors like mood, environment, or social interactions. ## [[Psychology|Psychological]] And Philosophical Perspectives In [[psychology]], state-dependent selfhood aligns with the idea that the self is shaped by ongoing mental, emotional, and bodily states, with alterations in these states influencing how selfhood is experienced or expressed. Philosophically, it resonates with theories that reject a permanent, singular self and instead propose that selfhood arises from dynamic relations between internal processes and external social contexts. ## Social Context and Selfhood State-dependent selfhood is also linked to social interaction frameworks, where selfhood is influenced by roles and perceptions within a group or society. The self is seen as both an object and agent, continuously shaped by feedback loops between self-concept, behavior, and social roles. This concept contributes to understanding selfhood as fluid and relational, rather than static and isolated, with implications for fields ranging from cognitive neuroscience to social psychology and philosophy of mind.[1][2][3] Sources [1] Fictional Self - systematic conceptual - follow the idea https://publish.obsidian.md/followtheidea/Content/Philosophy-Psychology/Fictional+Self+-+systematic+conceptual [2] Self, selfhood and understanding - infed.org https://infed.org/dir/welcome/self-selfhood-and-understanding/ [3] Self and Identity - Open Publishing - Princeton University https://openpublishing.princeton.edu/read/self-and-identity [4] Selfhood-attribution in a social context: further evidence for a Pars ... https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12531069/ [5] An Exploration into the Nature of Selfhood and the Ascetic Experience https://metanexus.net/structure-selves-exploration-nature-selfhood-and-ascetic-experience/ [6] Self, Me, or I? Unravelling the Triumvirate of Selfhood in ... https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12190230/ [7] Philosophy of self - Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philosophy_of_self [8] Theories of the self | Research Starters - EBSCO https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/psychology/theories-self [9] Dualism - Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/dualism/ [10] Selfhood-attribution in a social context: further evidence for a Pars ... https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1528172/full [11] The interoceptive turn is maturing as a rich science of selfhood - Aeon https://aeon.co/essays/the-interoceptive-turn-is-maturing-as-a-rich-science-of-selfhood [12] Personal Identity - Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/identity-personal/ [13] Dialogical Theory of Selfhood - Oxford Academic https://academic.oup.com/edited-volume/28322/chapter/215071893 [14] 52 Selfhood and Its Disorders - Oxford Academic https://academic.oup.com/edited-volume/27976/chapter/211639961 [15] Selfhood - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/psychology/selfhood [16] A New Default Self | Psychology Today https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/somebodies-and-nobodies/201501/new-default-self [17] Substance and Selfhood | Philosophy | Cambridge Core https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/philosophy/article/substance-and-selfhood/FE53D514DD42EB7830870107A60E8A09 [18] Who Am I: The Conscious and the Unconscious Self - PMC https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5355470/ [19] [PDF] On the Scaffolding of Selfhood: Self-Representation and the Limits ... https://dash.harvard.edu/bitstreams/7f156c7f-b325-41da-a2eb-4dbc92039658/download