Dynamic network organization of the self: implications for affective experience

People form a variety of beliefs about themselves that often carry positive or negative valence (e.g. being confident versus awkward). We suggest that, like other complex systems, the self can be modeled as a network composed of nodes (self-beliefs) and connections between them. We describe how self-network organization may vary between individuals and within individuals over time, and highlight the implications of this variation for affective experience. We further articulate how the self-network emerges from dynamic interactions between large-scale brain networks including the default mode network, valuation network, and frontoparietal control network. Finally, we discuss how a network perspective on the self may provide new insights into the mechanisms that underlie cognitive behavioral therapy and mindfulness-based approaches to affective disorders.