Consciousness and the unconscious: definitions, characteristics, components

For modern man, the concepts of "consciousness" and "unconscious" have become familiar, universally recognized, not causing questions. However, this was not always the case.

Initially, the unconscious was refused to believe, considering all its manifestations in human activity as the action of physiological processes. Somewhat later, humanity recognized: consciousness and the unconscious exist in parallel, and not all processes and actions depend on physiology or consciousness.

Today, scientists hold the view that the unconscious is a huge world, real as an ordinary consciousness. The unconscious, despite the fact that it is beyond the power of man, is much broader and more intense than consciousness.

There are unconscious feelings, for example, balance, visual, auditory, olfactory feelings, causing certain reactions in the nervous system.

The first began to study the consciousness and unconscious Plato, then Freud, Jung, other researchers. And they, and modern scientists working in this field, are sure: the unconscious sends us signals that we often do not know how or do not want to hear. If you listen to them, you can enrich your life with new, better content.

The unconscious is a way of reflecting reality, in which both it and the subjective attitude of a person acts as a monolithic whole. The unconscious are processes that take place in the psyche, but are unconscious by man, not so much dependent on his will.

Consciousness is the highest form of mental reflection generated in the course of social life, representing a generalized subjective pattern of the surrounding reality in the form of concepts, words, and images. In other words, consciousness is a collection of images.

It is quite natural that consciousness, like any process, has its own peculiarities.

The main characteristics of consciousness:

• Cognitive processes. These include the processes of perception, imagination, memory, thinking. Sensations are included here.
• The distinction between the concepts of "I" - "not I", subject and object. This characteristic is inherent only in man. Only we, unlike other animals, are able to direct their psychic activity to self-knowledge.
• Purpose, which provides reasonableness of activity. The human consciousness constructs a scheme that takes into account the tasks of the activity, the methods of its implementation, the results obtained.
• Relation to reality: feelings, emotions, etc.
• Mastering speech. This is perhaps the most important characteristic of consciousness, peculiar only to man. It defines all other characteristics of consciousness. Only having mastered speech, one can acquire knowledge, form a will, set goals, achieve them, divide the object and the subject. Philosophers, psychologists are unanimous in opinion: language is the consciousness of a person.

In addition to the basic characteristics, there are components of consciousness. They are few:

• The cognitive component is responsible for everything related to cognition. It includes methods of cognition, attitudes, cognitive techniques and strategies, types of control, the results of cognitive processes.
• Emotional. This affective-motivational components of the psyche: emotions, relationships, self-esteem, etc.
• Behavioral-activity component that determines the methods, methods, mechanisms that ensure the functioning of a person in their own mental, interpersonal, external space.

Consciousness and the unconscious are inextricably linked. It is consciousness that controls unconscious impulses, helps socialization, dictates to a person behavior recognized in a given society.

If it is impossible to influence the unconscious, then consciousness is successfully formed. In the childhood for this process parents, teachers, teachers answer. At an older age a person himself influences the formation of his own consciousness.