Is conscious awareness needed for all working memory processes?

Silvanto, J. and Soto, D. 2016. Is conscious awareness needed for all working memory processes? Neuroscience of Consciousness. 2016 (1), p. niw009 niw009. https://doi.org/10.1093/nc/niw009

TitleIs conscious awareness needed for all working memory processes?
AuthorsSilvanto, J. and Soto, D.
Abstract

Stein and colleagues argue there is no yet conclusive evidence for nonconscious working memory (WM) and that is critical to probe WM while ensuring null sensitivity to memory cues. While this stringent approach reduces the likelihood of nonconscious signaling for WM, we discuss existing work meeting this null sensitivity criteria, and, related work on nonconscious cognition in keeping with WM/awareness dissociations on the basis of a functional operational definition of WM. Further, because it is likely that WM is a nonunitary functional construct and visual awareness a gradual phenomenon, we propose that delineating the neural mechanisms for distinct WM types across different levels of awareness may prove the most fruitful approach for understanding the interplay between WM and consciousness.

Article numberniw009
JournalNeuroscience of Consciousness
Journal citation2016 (1), p. niw009
ISSN2057-2107
Year2016
PublisherOxford University Press
Publisher's version
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1093/nc/niw009
Publication dates
Published14 Jun 2016

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