Extrospection
[ek-strə-SPEK-shən]
Part of speech: adjective
Origin: English, early 20th century
1.
The observation of things external to one's own mind, as opposed to introspection.
Examples of Extrospection in a sentence
"Thanks to the abundant wildlife and plants, Susan found herself lost in extrospection any time she walked in the forest."
"Introspection can be dangerous for a closing pitcher, while extrospection helps keep the pitcher’s focus attuned to the baseball game unfolding around him."
About Extrospection
“Extrospection” is based on the English word “introspection,” replacing the Latin “intro,” meaning “inward,” with the prefix “extro,” meaning “outward.” (“Spect” comes from the Latin for “look at.”)
Did you Know?
Mindfulness, the increasingly popular practice of cultivating meditative awareness of the present, is often fueled by extrospection. Though meditation is often associated with the idea of introspection, many schools of meditation encourage meditators not to become too attached to internal thoughts. One way to become more aware of the present is through extrospection, and to do so mindfully, one must observe simple things outside of one’s mind without judgment. As a result, a mindful meditator engaged in extrospection might acknowledge the rhythm of their breathing, the sensation of their feet upon the ground, or the sound of a passing car.
