The self-reference effect is defined as the fast processing and memory advantage for materials that have been processed in relation to the self. In Western culture background, self-reference processing was divided into individual and collective self-reference processing or physical and psychological self-reference processing. However, all these studies have considered self-reference effect as the behavioral or neural activation differences between self-relevant and non-self-relevant stimuli, failing to take into account the degree of self-relevance. Future research issues will focus on high self-relevant stimuli possessing with greater biological and social significance to individuals than low self-relevant stimuli.