A Theory of Unconscious Thought

Abstract

We present a theory about human thought named the unconscious-thought theory (UTT). The theory is applicable to decision making, impression formation, attitude formation and change, problem solving, and creativity. It distinguishes between two modes of thought: unconscious and conscious. Unconscious thought and conscious thought have different characteristics, and these different characteristics make each mode preferable under different circumstances. For instance, contrary to popular belief, decisions about simple issues can be better tackled by conscious thought, whereas decisions about complex matters can be better approached with unconscious thought. The relations between the theory and decision strategies, and between the theory and intuition, are discussed. We end by discussing caveats and future directions.

The benefits of simply observing: Mindful attention modulates the link between motivation and behavior.

“…Specifically, conscious reflection can reduce the quality of choices and post-choice satisfaction (Wilson & Schooler, 1991;Wilson et al, 1993); it can produce suboptimal decisions (Dijksterhuis & Nordgren, 2006); it can overshadow adaptive memory processes (Schooler & Engstler-Schooler, 1990). In addition, conscious reflection hardly seems to help Mindful attention 55 people predict what they will truly enjoy in the future (Gilbert & Wilson, 2009).…”

What zombies can't do: A social cognitive neuroscience approach to the irreducibility of reflective consciousness

“…The evidence supporting equivalent input-output relations in reflective and non-reflective processes has been used to suggest that non-reflective processes are actually reflective after all, capable of propositional and intentional processes operating on a host of symbolic representations of the self, others, ones attitudes, beliefs, goals, and motivationsonly without the awareness component (Dijksterhuis and Nordgren, 2006;Velmans, 1991). Note that this is a different claim about non-reflective processes than the one made above about the impressive array of computations that non-reflective processes can support.…”

Lost in dissociation: The main paradigms in unconscious cognition

“…In the context of unconscious cognition, bottom-up processes characterize unconscious processing and top-down processes are claimed to do so for conscious cognition (see, e.g., Sun, 1999). This distinction is highly diffused in many dissociative approaches (see Sun et al, 2001), but in the case of unconscious thought theory (UTT), it plays a role so fundamental as to be a principle: the bottom-up-versus-top-down principle (see Bos & Dijksterhuis, 2011;Dijksterhuis & Nordgren, 2006). …”

“…UTT's theoretical ground and methodological approach can be encapsulated in a few principles (Dijksterhuis & Nordgren, 2006). Divert one's attention, leave it to the http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.concog.2016.04.004…”