Dr. Yael Levy

Title

Mirroring and the Self: Exploring the Interface Between Internal and External Worlds

Abstract

This talk presents my ongoing PhD research on the formation of the self and how it interacts with the external world. I explore how the self functions as a dynamic interface, shaped through feedback from early relational interactions. When this self-modelling process is disrupted, it can lead to psychopathology. I am particularly focused on understanding the self as a context-sensitive, adaptive system, continuously shaped by relational experiences, not as a static entity. Drawing from psychoanalytic theories, particularly the concept of mirroring, I examine how early caregiver-infant interactions contribute to the formation of the self. Additionally, I integrate insights from Jennan Ismael's theory of the situated self, which views the self as dynamically constructed through interactions with the environment. Ultimately, this research aims to introduce concepts from predictive processing to further deepen our understanding of how the…