AbstractThe self is a multifaceted and complex construct. Each facet of the self and the interrelations between them are examined to understand ‘what is self.’ The neurocognitive, social, and cultural mechanisms underlying the development of self as extended in time and as a meaning system are further examined to understand how children come to acquire a sense of who they are. This includes when and how young children attain cognitive self‐awareness, remember past experiences and imagine future happenings, and acquire a cultural self. The final analysis focuses on the executive function of the self with regard to how children come to emotionally react to and regulate the self. WIREs Cogn Sci 2012 doi: 10.1002/wcs.1187This article is categorized under: Psychology > Development and Aging