Towards a postconscious processes model of mental control: A conceptual analysis

Abstract

A new perspective on mental control is proposed that conceptually links conscious and automatic processes through a complementary postconscious activity that is rooted in the cognitive mechanism of priming. It is argued that the alterable structure of underlying mental representations connects these processes to produce a level of intentional regulation that would normally prove beneficial but in a few rare cases could prove detrimental. This hypothetical process is reflected in our empirical knowledge of mental control and related phenomena such as prospective memory. The new perspective maintains the traditional models' structure of conscious and automatic processing but, in an effort to expand our knowledge in the field, it redefines the relationship between these two processes so that it fits into a more accountable theoretical framework.

Notes

Correspondence should be addressed to Derek Dorris, Department of Psychology, University College Dublin, Dublin 4, Republic of Ireland. Email: [email protected]

This research was supported by the Irish Research Council for the Humanities and Social Sciences.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Aidan P. Moran

Correspondence should be addressed to Derek Dorris, Department of Psychology, University College Dublin, Dublin 4, Republic of Ireland. Email: [email protected] This research was supported by the Irish Research Council for the Humanities and Social Sciences.