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abstract: 'Investigations of the function of consciousness in human information processing have focused mainly on two questions: (1) where does consciousness enter into the information processing sequence and (2) how does conscious processing differ from preconscious and unconscious processing. Input analysis is thought to be initially "preconscious," "pre-attentive," fast, involuntary, and automatic. This is followed by "conscious," "focal-attentive" analysis which is relatively slow, voluntary, and flexible. It is thought that simple, familiar stimuli can be identified preconsciously, but conscious processing is needed to identify complex, novel stimuli. Conscious processing has also been thought to be necessary for choice, learning and memory, and the organization of complex, novel responses, particularly those requiring planning, reflection, or creativity.'
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creators_name:
  - family: Velmans
    given: Max
    honourific: ''
    lineage: ''
date: 1991
date_type: published
datestamp: 1998-02-10
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dir: disk0/00/00/05/93
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eprintid: 593
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keywords: 'attention, brain, complementarity, consciousness, functionalism, information processing, mind, reductionism, unconscious, first person, third person'
lastmod: 2011-03-11 08:54:06
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number: 4
pagerange: 651-726
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publication: Behavioural and Brain Sciences
publisher: Cambridge University Press
refereed: TRUE
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rev_number: 8
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status_changed: 2007-09-12 16:31:55
subjects:
  - behav-neuro-sci
  - cog-psy
  - comp-sci-art-intel
  - phil-epist
  - phil-mind
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title: Is Human Information Processing Conscious?
type: journalp
userid: 156
volume: 14
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