Automatic and Controlled Processes in Behavioural Control: Implications for Personality Psychology

2010 ◽  
Vol 24 (5) ◽  
pp. 376-403 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philip J. Corr
Keyword(s):  
Conscious Experience ◽  
Behavioural Control ◽  
Conscious Awareness ◽  
Behavioural Inhibition ◽  
Personality Psychology ◽  
Controlled Processing ◽  
Theoretical Perspectives ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Reflective Processing ◽  
Theoretical Issues

This paper highlights a number of unresolved theoretical issues that, it is argued, continue to impede the construction of a viable model of behavioural control in personality psychology. It is contended that, in order to integrate motivation, emotion, cognition and conscious experience within a coherent framework, two major issues need to be recognised: (a) the relationship between automatic (reflexive) and controlled (reflective) processing and (b) the lateness of controlled processing (including the generation of conscious awareness)—phenomenally, such processing seems to ‘control’ behaviour, but experimentally it can be shown to postdate the behaviour it represents. The implications of these two major issues are outlined, centred on the need to integrate theoretical perspectives within personality psychology, as well as the greater unification of personality psychology with general psychology. A model of behavioural control is sketched, formulated around the concept of the behavioural inhibition system (BIS), which accounts for: (a) why certain stimuli are extracted for controlled processing (i.e. those that are not ‘going to plan’, as detected by an error mechanism) and (b) the function of controlled processing (including conscious awareness) in terms of adjusting the cybernetic weights of automatic processes (which are always in control of immediate behaviour) which, then, influence future automatically controlled behaviour. The relevance of this model is illustrated in relation to a number of topics in personality psychology, as well related issues of free–will and difficult–to–control behaviours. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The Effects of Block Duration and Task Demands on the Experience of Task Unrelated Thought

2002 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 13-31 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan Smallwood ◽  
Marc Obonsawin ◽  
Helga Reid
Keyword(s):  
Vigilance Task ◽  
Task Demands ◽  
Block Length ◽  
Conscious Awareness ◽  
Length Effect ◽  
Controlled Processing ◽  
Task Irrelevant ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Fluency Task ◽  
And Task

Evidence indicates that the degree to which attention can be maintained upon the task in hand depends upon both the type and duration of the task. Two experiments investigated the relationship between task irrelevant thinking and block duration in two types of task. In Experiment One, a vigilance task was compared to a fluency task and in Experiment Two a verbal encoding task was compared to a fluency task. In both tasks we investigated the hypothesis that block duration mediated changes in thinking would be smallest for tasks which rely heavily on controlled processing (the fluency task). Results were consistent with expectations and indicated that the report of thoughts with no relationship to the task in hand increased with block duration in the vigilance task (Experiment One) and the verbal encoding task (Experiment Two). In neither experiment did block length effect thinking during the fluency task. These results are broadly consistent with the assertion that tasks that cannot be readily automated, maintain attention upon the task at hand in a superior fashion as the duration of the block increases. The implications of these results for our understanding of the process responsible for our conscious awareness of a stimulus and our ability to plan and anticipate events are discussed.

scholarly journals Varieties of Conscious Experience and the Subjective Awareness of One’s “True” Self

2019 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 89-98 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew Vess
Keyword(s):  
Conscious Experience ◽  
Fundamental Aspect ◽  
Conscious Awareness ◽  
Self Awareness ◽  
True Self ◽  
Psychological Study ◽  
Subjective Awareness ◽  
Present Experience ◽  
First Time ◽  
The Relationship

The subjective awareness of one’s true self is considered a fundamental aspect of authenticity. It is theorized to reflect an experienced disconnect between one’s conscious awareness and actual experiences. In this brief review, I describe some of the early theorizing on the construct and the research that this theorizing has inspired. I then review an emerging direction of research specifically focused on the relationship between subjective feelings of being disconnected from one’s true self and tendencies to become mentally detached from present experience (i.e., mindwandering). This work offers new insights into the nature of subjective true self-awareness; it elucidates for the first time how disruptions to people’s ongoing mental connection to present experience relate to the experience of true self-awareness and it invites theorizing about aspects of authenticity in ways that do not require evaluations of a self-concept. I end the review by speculating on how this work might inspire new empirical and theoretical directions in the psychological study of authenticity and feelings of true self-awareness.

scholarly journals Discussion on ‘Automatic and Controlled Processes in Behavioural Control: Implications for Personality Psychology’ by Corr

2010 ◽  
Vol 24 (5) ◽  
pp. 404-422 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Nervous System ◽  
Personality Traits ◽  
Behavioural Inhibition ◽  
Personality Psychology ◽  
Controlled Processes ◽  
Behavioural Approach ◽  
Controlled Processing ◽  
Freeze System ◽  
Behavioural Inhibition System

This comment critiques Corr's (2010) characterization of the personality traits associated with the elements of Gray's conceptual nervous system: The behavioural inhibition system (BIS), the behavioural approach system (BAS) and the fight–flight–freeze system (FFFS). Most attention is paid to the FFFS because least is known about its manifestation in personality. Additionally, I suggest that Corr's framework for understanding automatic and controlled processing is useful for developing theories of the biological systems underlying traits that are not directly related to BIS, BAS and FFFS. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Corruption Measurements: Caught Between Conceptualizing the Phenomenon and Promoting New Governance Agenda?

2021 ◽  
pp. 097226292098394
Author(s):  
Kannan Perumal
Keyword(s):  
Data Aggregation ◽  
Policy Advocacy ◽  
New Governance ◽  
Methodological Issues ◽  
Topic Evolution ◽  
Theoretical Perspectives ◽  
Control Framework ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Theoretical Issues ◽  
Insight Into

The work ‘Corruption Measurements: Caught Between Conceptualizing the Phenomenon and Promoting New Governance Agenda?’ is a qualitative study based on reviewing the literature available on the subject. It starts with the introduction that explains the evolution of the idea of measuring corruption, its relevance to governance and associated theoretical issues. The topic, ‘Evolution of Corruption Measurements’ gives an overview about different corruption indices. While the topic ‘Challenges to Corruption Measurements’ briefly introduces the challenges faced by corruption measurements, the topics ‘Conceptualizing Corruption’ and ‘Methodological Issues’ give insight into the contentions faced by corruption measurements from different theoretical perspectives. Also, explained in these sections are how the corruption measurements have conceptualized corruption over the period of three decades; and how do they keep evolving their methods in order to become more relevant in policy advocacy. Issues associated with data aggregation also are explained in-depth in this work. This work demonstrates that though continuous methodological evolution and empirical research have helped corruption measurements to improve their acceptance level, the gap that exist between corruption control framework and practice will remain a challenge to address in future if corruption measurements do not genuinely account the contextual realities.

What is Human? Reading Social Idealism against the Reality of Blackman and Azaria

2018 ◽  
Vol 60 (1) ◽  
pp. 365-391
Author(s):  
Ka Lok Yip
Keyword(s):  
United Kingdom ◽  
Human Agency ◽  
Human Freedom ◽  
Dominant Focus ◽  
Structural Power ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Theoretical Perspectives ◽  
The Relationship

This article explores the oscillation between individualism and holism and between voluntarism and determinism underlying Philip Allott’s philosophy of social idealism and attributes it to an under-analysis of the relationship between human agency, culture, and structure. Drawing on different social theoretical perspectives and philosophical approaches, it examines this aspect of social idealism through the lens of two recent cases, Alexander Blackman in the United Kingdom and Elor Azaria in Israel. It argues that a dominant focus on either the individuals or their context is necessarily reductionist while collapsing the two risks obscuring causality and responsibility and relegating their apportionment to those in possession of cultural and structural power. Only by differentiating between the relative degrees of human freedom and constraints in different situations, can the limits to human agency become recognisable, comprehensible, and therefore amenable to being tackled, transformed, and potentially overcome.

scholarly journals The psychological imagination

2016 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 229-233 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luca Tateo
Keyword(s):  
Human Activity ◽  
Special Issue ◽  
Research Directions ◽  
Dialogical Self ◽  
Dialogical Self Theory ◽  
Higher Psychological Functions ◽  
New Research ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Theoretical Issues ◽  
Symbolic Products

Abstract: The commentary presents an epistemological reflection about Dialogical Self theory. First, the theoretical issues of DS about the relationship between individuality, alterity and society are discussed, elaborating on the articles of this special issue. Then, it is presented the argument of psychologist's ontological fallacy, that is the attitude to moving from the study of processes to the study of psychological entities. Finally a development toward new research directions is proposed, focusing on the study of higher psychological functions and processes, taking into account complex symbolic products of human activity and developing psychological imagination.

Power, dependence and frustration

2015 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 250-275 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gerard Stone
Keyword(s):  
Small Business ◽  
Small Businesses ◽  
Business Owner ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Information Power ◽  
Theoretical Perspectives ◽  
Advisor Roles ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Advisory Role

Purpose – This study aims to explore the existence and strength of power through focussing on the manner in which accountants exercise power in their advisory relationship with small business. Design/methodology/approach – Interviews provided insights into accountants’ power-related perceptions, experiences and use of power in the advisory relationship. A questionnaire accessed evidence from small business owner-managers (SBOMs). Power theoretical perspectives informed the analysis of the findings. Findings – Accountants’ expert and information power is a consequence of SBOMs’ dependence on their accountants’ expertise and knowledge. Accountants construct advisor roles and exercise power in a manner indicating that they attempt to manage rather than exploit power imbalances to the detriment of dependent SBOMs. However, outbreaks of frustration and conflict in the relationship illustrate the difficulties in managing the dysfunctional consequences of power imbalances. Research limitations/implications – While the findings are restricted to the Australian accountant–small business advisory relationship, they offer a basis for research into the effect of power on the relationship in other national contexts. Research which includes the views of managers of failed small businesses would also extend this work. Practical implications – The study’s focus on accountants’ experiences can assist practitioners endeavouring to develop advisory relationships with small business and designers of professional development programmes seeking to optimise the value of the advisory relationship. Originality/value – The paper extends the study of power to the under-researched yet important accountant–small business advisory area. Its findings are of interest to accountants and accounting policymakers who envisage a broadening of accountants’ small business advisory role.

scholarly journals Key Theoretical Issues in the Interaction of Law and Religion: A Guide for the Perplexed

2012 ◽  
Vol 19 (1, 2 & 3) ◽  
pp. 2011
Author(s):  
Benjamin L. Berger
Keyword(s):  
Legal Theory ◽  
Access Point ◽  
Religious Difference ◽  
State Authority ◽  
Key Issues ◽  
Role Of Religion ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Religion In Public Life ◽  
Theoretical Issues

There is perhaps no more important access point into the key issues of modern political and legal theory than the questions raised by the interaction of law and religion in contemporary constitutional democracies. Of course, much classical political and moral theory was forged on the issue of the relationship between religious difference and state authority. John Locke’s work was directly influenced by this issue, writing as he did about the just configuration of state authority and moral difference in the wake of the Thirty Years’ War. Yet debates about the appropriate role of religion in public life and the challenges posed by religious difference also cut an important figure, in a variety of ways, in the writings of Hobbes, Rousseau, Spinoza, Hegel, and much of the work that we now view as being at the centre of the development of modern political philosophy.

scholarly journals The Experimental Generation of Interpersonal Closeness: A Procedure and Some Preliminary Findings

1997 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 363-377 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arthur Aron ◽  
Edward Melinat ◽  
Elaine N. Aron ◽  
Robert Darrin Vallone ◽  
Renee J. Bator
Keyword(s):  
Attachment Style ◽  
Relationship Development ◽  
Relationship Building ◽  
Self Disclosure ◽  
Small Talk ◽  
Interpersonal Closeness ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Theoretical Issues ◽  
Intensity Study ◽  
Adequate Power

A practical methodology is presented for creating closeness in an experimental context. Whether or not an individual is in a relationship, particular pairings of individuals in the relationship, and circumstances of relationship development become manipulated variables. Over a 45-min period subject pairs carry out self-disclosure and relationship-building tasks that gradually escalate in intensity. Study 1 found greater postinteraction closeness with these tasks versus comparable small-talk tasks. Studies 2 and 3 found no significant closeness effects, inspite of adequate power, for (a) whether pairs were matched for nondisagreement on important attitudes, (b) whether pairs were led to expect mutual liking, or (c) whether getting close was made an explicit goal. These studies also illustrated applications for addressing theoretical issues, yielding provocative tentative findings relating to attachment style and introversion/extraversion.

scholarly journals Which hand is mine? Discriminating body ownership perception in a two-alternative forced choice task

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marie Chancel ◽  
H. Henrik Ehrsson
Keyword(s):  
Conscious Experience ◽  
Theoretical Models ◽  
Forced Choice ◽  
Body Ownership ◽  
Sensory Modalities ◽  
Forced Choice Task ◽  
Temporal And Spatial ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Spatial Congruence ◽  
Perception Action

The experience of one’s body as one’s own is referred to as the sense of body ownership. This central part of human conscious experience determines the boundary between the self and the external environment, a crucial distinction in perception, action, and cognition. Although body ownership is known to involve the integration of signals from multiple sensory modalities, including vision, touch and proprioception, little is known about the principles that determine this integration process, and the relationship between body ownership and perception is unclear. These uncertainties stem from the lack of a sensitive and rigorous method to quantify body ownership. Here, we describe a two-alternative forced choice discrimination task that allows precise and direct measurement of body ownership as participants decide which of two rubber hands feels more like their own in a version of the rubber hand illusion. In two experiments, we show that the temporal and spatial congruence principles of multisensory stimulation, which determine ownership discrimination, impose tighter constraints than previously thought and that texture congruence constitutes an additional principle; these findings are compatible with theoretical models of multisensory integration. Taken together, our results suggest that body ownership constitutes a genuine perceptual multisensory phenomenon that can be quantified with psychophysics in discrimination experiments.

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