How much does our brain do without conscious awareness?
Discipline: Psychology
Type of Paper: Essay (any type)
Academic Level: Undergrad. (yrs 3-4)
Paper Format: APA
Question
How much does our brain do without conscious awareness?
In the textbook chapter (3) and in podcasts this week, we look at the brain and how it motivates basic functions. One of the points to observe about the brain is that is is part of a number of automated, dynamic systems. An even bigger point is that the brain develops along with those other systems in the body (circulation, digestion, muscular, skeletal, endocrine, lymphatic, nervous systems, etc.) as an integrated whole.
This leads to the hypothesis that the brain, while important, is not completely responsible for motivation. Take a look at the embodied cognition article and video. Our total behavior includes automated systems like circulation, partially automated systems like breathing, and consciously controlled systems like reasoning.
But just how much of our total behavior package can be assigned to the conscious brain?
If we think that free will is the key driving factor in what we do, then the conscious abilities of the brain are critically responsible for much of our motivation. But if we take the brain off its pedestal and consider it one of the organs that we require to be a motivated person, then maybe we reduce the importance assigned to the conscious brain.
Of course there is not one correct answer, but I'd like to read your arguments about how much or how little the brain does that is outside our awareness, how it does that work, and furthermore how much the body does that might otherwise be attributed to the brain.
To begin your post, copy and complete the following sentence. Be sure to give a clear definition of what you are including in 'behavior' (because it will affect your percentages) and use plenty of examples to illustrate your points:
Given all that we have learned about the dynamic systems of the brain and the body, I believe that approximately _____% of our behavior is under our conscious motivational control.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
