Table 6.

Clinically Observable Levels of the Integration or Elevation of Thought in Self-Aware Consciousness

Level of Integration of Thought	Description	Characteristic Features
0—Automatic	Reactive	Pleasure-seeking, reactive, behaviorally conditioned, without delay or planning
1—Self-centered	Judgmental	Able to delay gratification, show initiative, but egocentric, judging and blaming
2—Metacognitive	Mindful	Able to observe flow of own thoughts to understand without judging or blaming
3—Metaperceptive	Contemplative	Able to observe shifts in outlook that precede initial perceptions (i.e., the schemas that organize perceptions)

Reprinted with permission of the Washington University Center for Weil-Being.