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Updated: Mar 6, 2026

Corticospinal Excitability Modulation During Action Observation
Published on: December 31, 2013
Why did I do that? Explaining actions activated outside of awareness
Ana P Gantman1, Marieke A Adriaanse2, Peter M Gollwitzer3,4
1Psychology Department and Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, Princeton University, Peretsman Scully Hall, Princeton, NJ, 08544, USA. agantman@princeton.edu.
Abstract:
We review the latest research investigating how people explain their own actions when they have been activated nonconsciously. We will discuss evidence that when nonconsciously activated behavior is unexpected (e.g., norm- violating, against self -standards), negative affect arises and triggers confabulations aimed to explain the behavior. Nonconsciously activated behaviors may provide a window into everyday confabulation of (erroneous) explanations for behavior, which may also affect self-knowledge. Implications for self-concept formation and intentionality are discussed.
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