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"Wanting," "liking," and their relation to consciousness
Patrick Anselme1, Mike J F Robinson2
1Fakultät für Psychologie, Ruhr-Universität Bochum.
Journal of Experimental Psychology. Animal Learning and Cognition
|December 15, 2015
Summary
"Wanting" and "liking" are unconscious brain processes guiding behavior toward rewards. Conscious control often fails because these core motivations operate below awareness, impacting goal-directed actions and potentially leading to addiction.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychology
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Human and animal behaviors are often perceived as consciously controlled, driven by goal-directedness and pleasure-seeking.
- "Wanting" (motivation) and "liking" (pleasure) are adaptive, unconscious subcortical processes guiding reward-seeking behavior.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if "wanting" is integral to conscious goals and "liking" to conscious feelings.
- To explore the role of unconscious subcortical mechanisms in motivation and emotion.
Main Methods:
- Conceptual analysis of existing neuroscientific and psychological research.
- Examination of the interplay between conscious cognitive processes and unconscious "wanting" and "liking" systems.
Main Results:
- "Wanting" and "liking" rely on mechanisms operating outside conscious awareness.
- This unconscious basis explains difficulties in consciously controlling motivations and emotions.
- Hyperactivity in "wanting" systems is linked to addictive and pathological behaviors like drug addiction and gambling disorder.
Conclusions:
- "Wanting" and "liking" are primarily unconscious processes, challenging the notion of complete conscious control over behavior.
- Understanding these subcortical mechanisms is crucial for addressing addiction and other behavioral disorders.
- In non-pathological states, "wanting" and "liking" interact with cognitive functions to direct goal-oriented actions.
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