Autonomous Agency and Social Psychology

Abstract:

The paper discusses the concept of autonomous agency, emphasizing its definition as the ability to govern oneself without external manipulation. It explores the psychological challenges to this agency, particularly drawing on social psychology, which suggests that unconscious influences and situational factors significantly affect human behavior, potentially undermining the perception of autonomy. Through a detailed examination of these threats, the paper argues that true autonomy requires not only freedom of action but also reflectively chosen principles and internal consistency among desires.

The paper discusses the concept of autonomous agency, emphasizing its definition as the ability to govern oneself without external manipulation. It explores the psychological challenges to this agency, particularly drawing on social psychology, which suggests that unconscious influences and situational factors significantly affect human behavior, potentially undermining the perception of autonomy. Through a detailed examination of these threats, the paper argues that true autonomy requires not only freedom of action but also reflectively chosen principles and internal consistency among desires.