Impressions of being under observation.

Hi Larni,You're probably right. I remember experiencing such feelings as a child, and then more acutely as a self-conscious teenage girl. In this case it would have had more to do with the self-centered nature that comes with those ages. Nowadays I feel that there are far more interesting subjects for observation!Kakariki

Thank you for the welcome Larni!Going by what has been said on this thread, I think that this is a blend of both conscience and self consciousness at play. That feeling of being watched could be attributed to the latter and then your conscience telling you that you can't cut corners when people are watching...

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(what colour are you, yellow red or orange?)

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I think I'll go for orange, because they need the numbers!

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I've always thought of conscience as a sub conscious perception of risk to self and subsequent rumination about said risk and self consciousness as basically performance anxiety so I reckon you could have it right there.

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Hehe... think of all the good things that may come of it - very conscientiously doing your recycling, and not mixing the aluminium with the tin cans. I just hope the audience doesn't start heckling - you might develop a compulsion for ironing your socks and alphabetising your book shelves ("by title!... no, author!")

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It certainly seems more reasonable than a supernatural entity.

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I agree. However, I imagine that the perceived sensation of being watched by "God" may be of some comfort to some people, hence that conclusion.

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That got me thinking, OCD has a 'need for imposed order' component, does religious ritual have it too?

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A quick search shows up many hits on OCD and religious ritual

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Specific obsessions and compulsions vary according to the individual’s religion. An Orthodox Jew might worry that he did not perform a particular ritual correctly. He might obsess about this for hours. A Roman Catholic might go to confession several times a day. Another individual could believe that anything he does might be sinful. This individual might become so paralyzed with doubt, that he or she becomes afraid to do or say anything at all.

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http://www.ncpamd.com/scrup.htm

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I think the comfort comes from the increased sense of control from doing 'insert task here' to the standard that oneself sets (OCD?), or of ones god's standards (religious observations) and that this can get translated (after the event) into spiritual fulfilment (religious orientation) to anxiety reduction (secular orientation).

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From what some of this information says you're definitely right.

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I smell a PNT.

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EEK!