What's the key difference betw navel-gazing and introspection or self-reflection? Cc @katebowles @cogdog @lauraritchie @clhendricksbc @fgraver @friedelitis
@mahabali @katebowles @cogdog @lauraritchie @clhendricksbc @fgraver @friedelitis Good question! For me, it is what you do with it. If your intent is to grow or understand something or it leads to a new insight that changes your perspective, then it is self-reflection. But if it becomes circular and elf involved, then I would call it navel gazing-- I wouldn't lump introspection in with navel-gazing though. But then what do I know, lol!

@mahabali Heavy question for a holiday weekend! :)

For me, the key difference is in the word reflection. I would consider navel-gazing to be an absorption in the self, intentional or not, without context or reflection. Introspection would include some element of contextualization and may then lead to self-reflection which, as @Professorsv points out, may lead to change and growth.

@katebowles @cogdog @lauraritchie @clhendricksbc @friedelitis

@fgraver @mahabali @Professorsv @katebowles @cogdog @lauraritchie @clhendricksbc @friedelitis I'm with Fredrik on this. Navel gazing is pondering the self in isolation - self as the universe or at least center thereof. Introspection/self-reflection looks at self in context of rest of world. Intro considers how how world affects me & I deal with it. Navel gazing doesn't know there's a world.
@econproph @fgraver @mahabali @katebowles @cogdog @lauraritchie @friedelitis This sounds right on. I also like @Professorsv 's point that it matters what you do with it. I think of self-reflection as done in order to learn, to improve, to be a better person in the world & with others.

@clhendricksbc @friedelitis @katebowles @cogdog @econproph @lauraritchie @fgraver @Professorsv thank u everyone for these insightful responses! I will keep all that in mind when i see ppl accuse self-reflective ppl/research of navel-gazing ;)

I hadn't actually thought of the difference between self-reflection and introspection - so thanks for adding that in!

Btw, I asked this q on Twitter first then had a hunch i would get a better response here so re-posted and tagged active tooters. Worked '

@mahabali @clhendricksbc @friedelitis @katebowles @cogdog @econproph @lauraritchie @fgraver I would have answered there, but I didn't see it. Here my timeline is fairly truncated, so I am more likely to see it. Twitter is more crowded.