Note: This article is in the user namespace, so it may not follow the guidelines of articles in the mainspace. It is also a theory, which means it hasn't been proven, yet.
The Self-Consciousness Theory states that self-consciousness can be obtained if one has to become isolated for long periods of time. For example, if one is often abused and hides from society a lot, they think a lot, and soon develop a self-conscious which allows them to think before they do anything and raises cognitive ability.