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Nonconscious acquisition of information
P Lewicki1, T Hill, M Czyzewska
1University of Tulsa, OK 74104-3189.
The American Psychologist
|June 1, 1992
Summary
Information acquisition outside conscious awareness is faster and more sophisticated than conscious thought. These nonconscious processes are vital for developing procedural knowledge, influencing stimulus interpretation and emotional responses.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Neuroscience
- Information Processing
Background:
- Conscious cognition is traditionally viewed as the primary driver of information processing.
- The role and capabilities of nonconscious information acquisition remain less understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review and summarize evidence for nonconscious information acquisition processes.
- To compare the efficiency and sophistication of nonconscious versus conscious cognition.
Main Methods:
- Literature review and synthesis of existing research.
- Analysis of data on covariations, nonconscious inferences, and procedural knowledge.
Main Results:
- Nonconscious information acquisition is significantly faster than conscious processing.
- Nonconscious processes exhibit greater structural sophistication, efficiently handling multidimensional and interactive variable relations.
- These nonconscious mechanisms are crucial for developing procedural knowledge.
Conclusions:
- Nonconscious information acquisition is a fundamental cognitive mechanism.
- It plays an indispensable role in stimulus encoding, interpretation, and emotional reactivity.
- Understanding nonconscious processes is key to a comprehensive model of cognitive functioning.