A phenomenological take on mirror self-face perception in schizophrenia

Abstract

Studies concerning social deficits in schizophrenia has often been restrained to exploring facial recognition. Various investigations have shown that those diagnosed with schizophrenia have difficulties in perceiving the identities and emotions of those around them merely through observing their facial features. A few others have also taken into account the issue of self-face recognition in individuals with schizophrenia, finding that their capacity to associate photos or videos of their own face to themselves is hindered due to the illness. However, to my knowledge, only a few studies have so far delved into the intricacies of how individuals with schizophrenia or schizotypal traits perceive their own facial features during mirror gazing. Some authors highlighted that it is imperative to differentiate between the ability of identifying one’s own face in photographs or videos and while mirror gazing, not only in virtue of the fact that mirror self-recognition arises earlier than photo self-recognition, but also because the neural responses elicited by the former are distinct from those generated by the latter. In light of this, it is crucial to elucidate the developmental aspects of the cognitive mechanism of mirror self-recognition. I will do so in order to introduce a discussion on the results of the studies on mirror self-face perception in schizophrenia, which will be carried out through an approach inspired by phenomenological theories of schizophrenia and self-consciousness. Finally, the Conclusions will provide further comments on the linkages among schizophrenia, mirror self-face perception, and self-consciousness.