Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Subconsciousness and No Awareness

Subconsciousness and No Awareness

The concept of subconscious awareness refers to the processing of information below the level of conscious thought, which significantly influences both behaviors and decisions. It is also known as waking subconscious awareness. This complex level of cognition operates without the direct awareness of the individual, facilitating rapid and simultaneous handling of multiple information streams.
An illustrative example of subconscious processing is its role in problem-solving. Often, individuals...

High-Level and Low-Level Awareness

High-Level and Low-Level Awareness

Controlled processes in human consciousness represent high-alert mental states where individuals deliberately focus their attention on achieving specific goals. Controlled processes can be seen in situations like mastering new technology, where a person might become so absorbed that they ignore surrounding distractions. Such processes involve selective attention, requiring one to concentrate on particular elements of experience while disregarding others. These are governed by executive...

Implicit Memories

Implicit Memories

Implicit memories, also known as non-declarative memories, are long-term memories that function outside of conscious awareness. These memories influence behavior and skills without explicit knowledge. This type of memory is evident in tasks like playing tennis, snowboarding, and texting. Implicit memory has three subsystems: procedural memory, conditioning, and priming. This type of memory is essential in various activities, from everyday tasks to specialized skills.
One key aspect of implicit...

Visual Agnosia

Visual Agnosia

Visual agnosia is a condition characterized by the inability to recognize visually presented objects despite having normal vision. For instance, a person with visual agnosia can describe the shape and color of an object but cannot identify or name it. This impairment does not affect their visual field, acuity, color vision, brightness discrimination, language, or memory. An example of this condition in a social setting is someone at a dinner party asking for "that silver thing with a round end"...

Sleepwalking and Sleep Talking

Sleepwalking and Sleep Talking

Somnambulism, commonly known as sleepwalking, involves individuals engaging in activities ranging from simple walking to more complex behaviors such as driving. Sleepwalking typically occurs during the slow-wave sleep stages 3 and 4 early in the night when the person is not dreaming, contradicting the myth that sleepwalkers are acting out their dreams.
Factors that increase the likelihood of sleepwalking include sleep deprivation and alcohol consumption. Contrary to common beliefs, it is safe...

Reflex Activity

Reflex Activity

A reflex activity is an automatic, involuntary response to specific stimuli. It is a part of our survival mechanism, designed to protect us from potential harm. For example, when a bright light suddenly shines into our eyes, we instinctively close them or look away. This is a simple reflex activity orchestrated by the nervous system without conscious thought or effort.
A reflex exam is a diagnostic procedure performed by a healthcare professional to evaluate the functionality of a patient's...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Accelerometer-derived movement phenotypes and adolescent mental health in pediatric obesity: A causal machine-learning study.

International journal of clinical and health psychology : IJCHP·2026

Same author

Passive exercise provides a simultaneous and postexercise executive function benefit.

Frontiers in cognition·2026

Same author

Pedal cadence differentially impacts cerebral blood flow but not a postexercise executive function benefit: evidence from active and passive exercise.

Journal of neurophysiology·2026

Same author

Feasibility and exploratory cognitive outcomes of three exercise modalities in oldest-old adults in assisted living facilities: A 24-week pilot randomized controlled trial.

Journal of affective disorders·2026

Same author

Timing of MVPA and psychosocial outcomes in adolescents with overweight/obesity.

International journal of clinical and health psychology : IJCHP·2026

Same author

All Is Relative-A Call for Considering "Physiologically Informed" Control Conditions to Improve the Mechanistic Understanding of the Effects of Physical Exercise on Cognition.

Scandinavian journal of psychology·2026

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 28, 2026

Frame-by-Frame Video Analysis of Idiosyncratic Reach-to-Grasp Movements in Humans

Frame-by-Frame Video Analysis of Idiosyncratic Reach-to-Grasp Movements in Humans

Published on: January 15, 2018

Action without awareness: reaching to an object you do not remember seeing.

Matthew Heath¹, Anika Maraj, Bryan Godbolt

¹School of Kinesiology, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada. mheath2@uwo.ca

|October 28, 2008

Summary

Action scaling to target size persists even without conscious awareness, suggesting unconscious processing supports memory-guided reaching. This demonstrates that visual representations enable precise movement adjustments without explicit perception.

More Related Videos

An Emerging Target Paradigm to Evoke Fast Visuomotor Responses on Human Upper Limb Muscles

An Emerging Target Paradigm to Evoke Fast Visuomotor Responses on Human Upper Limb Muscles

Published on: August 25, 2020

Methods to Explore the Influence of Top-down Visual Processes on Motor Behavior

Methods to Explore the Influence of Top-down Visual Processes on Motor Behavior

Published on: April 16, 2014

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 28, 2026

Frame-by-Frame Video Analysis of Idiosyncratic Reach-to-Grasp Movements in Humans

Frame-by-Frame Video Analysis of Idiosyncratic Reach-to-Grasp Movements in Humans

Published on: January 15, 2018

An Emerging Target Paradigm to Evoke Fast Visuomotor Responses on Human Upper Limb Muscles

An Emerging Target Paradigm to Evoke Fast Visuomotor Responses on Human Upper Limb Muscles

Published on: August 25, 2020

Methods to Explore the Influence of Top-down Visual Processes on Motor Behavior

Methods to Explore the Influence of Top-down Visual Processes on Motor Behavior

Published on: April 16, 2014

Area of Science:

Cognitive Neuroscience
Motor Control
Human Perception

Background:

Prior research indicates reach trajectory scaling is independent of target awareness.
Action without awareness can persist for up to 2000 ms with visual delay.

Purpose of the Study:

Investigate if delayed reach scaling relies on pre-computed movement parameters or a maintained sensory representation.
Determine the mechanisms underlying unconscious control of reaching movements.

Main Methods:

Participants performed immediate and delayed reaching tasks with varying target sizes under masked and non-masked conditions.
A manipulation prevented pre-computation of effector-related movement parameters.

Main Results:

Movement time and kinematic measures scaled with target size across all conditions, including masked trials.
Perceptual accuracy was high for non-masked targets but at chance for masked targets.

Conclusions:

Speed-accuracy relationships in reaching were maintained regardless of target awareness.
A persistent sensory representation supports unconscious, metrical scaling of memory-guided reaching.