REVIEW Consciousness: Some Basic Concepts

Learning Objectives

Test Yourself by taking a moment to answer each of these Learning Objective Questions (repeated here from within the module). Research suggests that trying to answer these questions on your own will improve your long-term memory of the concepts (McDaniel et al., 2009).

Question

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ANSWER: Since 1960, under the influence of cognitive psychology, neuroscience, and cognitive neuroscience, our awareness of ourselves and our environment—our consciousness—has reclaimed its place as an important area of research. After initially claiming consciousness as its area of study in the nineteenth century, psychologists had abandoned it in the first half of the twentieth century, turning instead to the study of observable behavior because they believed consciousness was too difficult to study scientifically.

Question

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ANSWER: We selectively attend to, and process, a very limited portion of incoming information, blocking out much and often shifting the spotlight of our attention from one thing to another. Focused intently on one task, we often display inattentional blindness to other events and change blindness to changes around us.

Question

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ANSWER: Scientists studying the brain mechanisms underlying consciousness and cognition have discovered that the mind processes information on two separate tracks. One operates at an explicit, conscious level (conscious sequential processing that requires focused attention) and the other at an implicit, unconscious level (unconscious parallel processing of routine business). Together, this dual processing—conscious and unconscious—affects our perception, memory, attitudes, and other cognitions.

Terms and Concepts to Remember

Test yourself on these terms.

Question

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Experience the Testing Effect

Test yourself repeatedly throughout your studies. This will not only help you figure out what you know and don’t know; the testing itself will help you learn and remember the information more effectively thanks to the testing effect.

Question 3.1

1. Failure to see visible objects because our attention is occupied elsewhere is called kGi8aXKIsxB+GaJBkAeYzBYfXKOFKixqUxjF6A== .

Question 3.2

2. We register and react to stimuli outside of our awareness by means of eIuVOKFHTd3dZHa2yMlaLA== processing. When we devote deliberate attention to stimuli, we use ePaouY2hcmJUVqD6jOJ0pw== processing.

Question 3.3

3. aCevVsv31rGWpUkM0+B1OSZaJzA= blindness and change blindness are forms of selective attention.

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