What is the Origin of Mental Agency?

This concept bridges philosophy, psychology, and neuroscience, focusing on the self-attribution of mental events. In the domain of hormonal health, it is explored as a function highly dependent on the integrity of frontal lobe connectivity, which itself is sensitive to neuromodulator balance.

What is the Mechanism of Mental Agency?

Mental Agency relies on the functional integration between the prefrontal cortex, responsible for intention formation, and the parietal areas involved in self-monitoring and sensory integration. Neuromodulator regulation, particularly dopaminergic tone related to reward prediction, strongly influences the perceived strength of agency. When this signaling is dysregulated, the sense of self-direction can diminish, leading to feelings of passivity.

Mental Agency ∞ Area

Mental Agency

Meaning

Mental Agency is the subjective, conscious sense of being the originator and controller of one’s own volitional thoughts, intentions, and subsequent actions. It represents the internal feeling of authorship over one’s cognitive output and behavior, rather than feeling driven by external or internal forces beyond control. High agency correlates with robust self-regulation. This is the feeling of being in command of the mind.