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The Unconscious Mind.

John A Bargh1, Ezequiel Morsella2

  • 1Yale University john.bargh@yale.edu.

Perspectives on Psychological Science : a Journal of the Association for Psychological Science
|June 28, 2008
PubMed
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The unconscious mind is as complex and capable as the conscious mind, challenging the traditional view that consciousness is primary. Research shows unconscious behavioral guidance systems are fundamental to action and precede conscious thought.

Area of Science:

  • Cognitive Psychology
  • Social Cognition
  • Neuroscience

Background:

  • Many psychological scientists view the unconscious mind as secondary to the conscious mind.
  • This bias stems from equating the unconscious with subliminal processes in cognitive psychology.
  • Substantial evidence indicates the unconscious is flexible, complex, controlling, deliberative, and action-oriented.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To challenge the restricted, conscious-centric view of the unconscious mind.
  • To review evidence from social cognition research on the nature of the unconscious.
  • To present the unconscious mind as a sophisticated behavioral guidance system.

Main Methods:

  • Review of contemporary social cognition research.
  • Analysis of studies defining the unconscious by its unintentional nature.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Examination of evidence for independent unconscious behavioral guidance systems.

    • Main Results:

    • The unconscious mind is not less flexible, complex, controlling, deliberative, or action-oriented than the conscious mind.
    • Social cognition research reveals independent unconscious perceptual, evaluative, and motivational systems.
    • The traditional definition equating unconscious with subliminal is challenged.

    Conclusions:

    • Actions of the unconscious mind precede the emergence of conscious awareness in both evolutionary and developmental contexts.
    • Unconscious behavioral guidance systems play a crucial role in initiating action.
    • Action precedes reflection, underscoring the primacy of unconscious processes.