Common actions such as speaking, walking, assembly-line work, bicycle riding, and driving a car along a street are instances of automatic processing. After a significant amount of practise, one can then focus his mind on a variety of other thoughts and activities while performing the automatic task, such as conversing or planning a speech while driving a car.
Automatic processing is divided into three types: preconscious, which occurs before conscious awareness; postconscious, which generates an unintended result and necessitates conscious processing; and goal-dependent, which necessitates the establishment of a goal.
Preconscious processing happens when an event is automatically triggered by a proximal stimulus in the absence of or prior to conscious awareness of the occurrence. It’s almost imperceptible, almost effortless, and even uncontrollable.
Postconscious processing is automatic and is triggered by a recent conscious event. It is the unintended result that gets unnoticed. It’s possible that the encounter was either planned or unplanned.
Goal-dependent processing involves thinking processes and skills that are triggered by the presence of a goal. It, like postconscious processing, requires conscious awareness to begin, but it can subsequently be led outside of that consciousness with the help of the unconscious mind.
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