| I. relational self | |
| a. brain area | peripheral nervous system & amygdala |
| b. organ system | (para)sympathetic nervous system and nose |
| c. neurotransmitter(s) | acetylcholine & (nor)epinephrine |
| i. psychological construct(s) | all interpersonal social psychological concepts/theories |
| ii. emotional spectrum | aggression-fear |
| iii. diseases | phobias, anxiety disorders, OCD, PTSD |
| d. developmental stage | 3-4 yrs.; belonging (Maslow); pre-operational (Piaget) |
| e. lifecycle stage | infant to school aged |
| f. evolutionary stage | plants through fish |
| g. cosmological stage | planets solidify to beginnings of livable atmosphere |
| h. space-time/info./learning | assessment of danger, survival likelihood in moment, innate action patterns, adrenaline time dilation; short term acquisition-short term retention/behavior change (as fears are extinguishable) & long-term position in hierarchy and phobias |
| i. Behavior | fight & flight, relationships |
| j. person | more or less anxious |
| k. environment | animate dangers |
| l. chakra | 3. manipura |
| m. sephirot | 7. tiferet – the throne/king |
| n. color | yellow |
| o. Freudian concept/phase | phallic |
| p. OCEAN traits | N |
This is the self that fits in the food chain somewhere, both in terms of non-human predators and other humans. This is the self that pop psychologists who justify a system they unfairly benefit from label alpha or beta or now sigma as well. This is the self that experiences time faster or slower depending on the level of (non-sexual) arousal, aka adrenaline levels.
When aroused, the survival instinct activates our (para)sympathetic nervous system and literally can slow down perceived time by speeding up the processing of the environment; this system allows desperate mothers to lift cars and have superhuman reflexes or speed. As an evolved system, it is concerned with fast-moving animal and human objects in the environment and requires only quick identification of a potential threat or challenge and reflexive, fight, flight, or negotiation behavior. It does not need long-term memory or long-term info acquisition, but in self-aware humans with longer-term memories can result in phobias and learned reactions.
Like system 2, though, this third system functions mostly to hone instinctive approach and avoidance tendencies. Unlike system 2, system 3 is the first to have social concerns and will approach creatures at the same hierarchy level for potential negotiation and cooperation.