Characteristics of Controlled and Automatic Processing

Characteristics of Controlled and Automatic Processing

The first characteristic of automatic processing is a fast response. The second characteristic is that automatic processing does not demand much attention. Thirdly, automatic processing is almost always unavoidable. The last characteristic is that automatic processing is parallel by design. On the other hand, controlled processing has the following traits. One, it involves a slow response. Two, it demands a lot of attention. Three, controlled processing is easily disrupted, and four, it is serial in nature.

Controlled processing is deliberation that is intentionally initiated and involves effort. Automatic thinking is more of an unconscious thinking process and, therefore, does not require deliberation or effort. As such, both processes are bound to differ. While automatic processing occurs fast and with no thought, controlled processing requires effort to be put into the thought before an action is taken (Grahek et al., 2019). Secondly, automatic thinking is parallel in nature; for example, while going up or down the stairs, one takes all the information, including the height, shape, and color of the stairs, without much thought about it. On the other hand, controlled processing involves serial memory processing, which means that one has to attend to and process one item at its own time (Goldstein, 2014). An example of this is cooking; accordingly, one must pay attention to each step or risk burning the food or spoiling it by adding or not adding a specific ingredient.

The third difference between controlled and automatic processing is that automatic thinking is unavoidable hence the name, while controlled processing can be avoided as well as easily disrupted. As mentioned above, while using the stairs, unless one is physically incapable of doing so, it is not possible for the brain to not automatically collect all the information of the physical surroundings. However, while cooking, one can choose not to put much thought into the processes of cooking and throw things on a pan at random and cook. Further, one can easily get distracted and the person can end up burning the food. The fourth difference is that automatic response is a fast response, which is usually a result of long-term memory. On the other hand, controlled processing has a slower response because it requires careful deliberation of a situation before deciding on the way forward (De Neys & Pennycook, 2019).

One example of a controlled skill is driving. While sometimes driving can be automatic, especially in low-traffic open roads that allow the driver to space out, this is not the case in heavy-traffic situations. One has to pay full attention to not being hit or being hit by speeding vehicles. Further, dividing attention between driving and other things like texting has been shown to be a leading cause of accidents (Goldstein, 2014). A second example of a controlled skill is a doctor performing surgery. In surgery, every action is done out of controlled thinking; one cannot have their attention elsewhere when they have their hands inside a patient’s body, cutting it up. In contrast, an example of an automatic skill is speaking. After learning how to speak as well as communicate in a certain language, talking becomes an automatic skill. One can talk while doing almost anything because putting together words that one is fluent in is automatic. A second example of an automatic skill is walking. Unless one is navigating a unique situation like rough terrain or a slippery slope, walking in normal situations, like walking down a street or across a room, is an automatic skill. It requires no thinking as the body automatically takes in or assesses the surroundings, like people and objects around them, and the body just moves effortlessly.

References

De Neys, W., & Pennycook, G. (2019). Logic, fast and slow: Advances in dual-process theorizing. Current directions in psychological science, 28(5), 503-509.

Goldstein, E. B. (2014). Cognitive psychology: Connecting mind, research, and everyday experience. Cengage Learning.

Grahek, I., Shenhav, A., Musslick, S., Krebs, R. M., & Koster, E. H. (2019). Motivation and cognitive control in depression. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 102, 371-381.

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Instructions
Assignment 2: Controlled and Automatic Processing

Describe four characteristics, each of which is controlled and automatic processing. Explain how the characteristics differ between the two processes.

Characteristics of Controlled and Automatic Processing

In addition, provide two examples of a controlled skill and two examples of an automatic skill. Explain how the selected characteristics apply to your specific examples.