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Query: faculty: "FMG" and publication year: "2008"

AuthorB. Surjadi
TitleWhat are we doing while thinking unconsciously? : a study of conscious performance during unconscious decision-making.
SupervisorsJ. van der Pligt, F. van Harrveld
Year2008
FacultyFaculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences
Institute/dept.FMG: Afdeling Psychologie
AbstractThe current study investigates whether unconscious and conscious thought are two independent processes, as assumed by Unconscious Thought Theory (UTT). To test this, we examined whether unconscious thought hinders conscious thought. We propose that unconscious and conscious thought share cognitive resources. These are assigned to the thought mode that needs it most. We compared performances of all participants on a conscious cognitive task. For the unconscious thought condition this task served as a distracter task (i.e. to ensue unconscious thought). These participants performed the task before they chose among three hypothetical roommates. For the immediate decision making and conscious thought conditions, the task was a mere filler task. The task was made after they made a decision. We found that conscious performance on the distracter task was hindered by unconscious thinking. This suggests that unconscious and conscious thought are not independent of each other, but that they remain ‘interconnected’ during the process. These findings were also supported by self reports about the perceived difficulty of the task and the experienced distraction Implications are discussed.
Document type scriptie master
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