Conscious means the condition of being conscious or aware of yourself and of objects around you. In the context of psychology, it refers to the aspect of the mind that contains thoughts, feelings and experiences that we consciously access and reflect on. For instance, when you’re deciding what to eat or recalling a conversation or paying attention to the things around you, you are using your conscious mind.
This notion is at the heart of many psychological theories, in particular when deciding how awareness drives behavior and decision-making. Freud’s ideas referred to consciousness as the ‘tip of the iceberg’, and a lot of what we think goes on below the level of our awareness. Modern research also deals with consciousness in terms of brain activity, analyzing how attention, perception, and awareness interact with one another. Being conscious is not only about being awake, but also about being able to focus, process information and make decisions. It is what makes it possible for people to be engaged with the world in a meaningful way and to take intentional steps in their daily lives.