Non-conscious ‘Beliefs’ and Behaviour

August 12th, 2006 Fred McVittie Posted in Illusion, Perception, Physics, Seeing, Unconscious, Universals |

Theories relating to the perception of optical illusions suggest that non-conscious mental processing of visual images has a persistent effect on how those images are consciously perceived. There is clearly a potential for such non-conscious processing to similarly have an effect on physical action, behaviour, attitudes, or feelings. It is conceivable, for example, that an error in perception caused by such processes might lead a person to make a judgment based on this (mis)perception which judgment would be incorrect in conscious rational terms. We know that information directed directly at non-conscious processes, and which bypasses conscious awareness, has a direct effect on attitudes and choice (hence advertising), it is likely that the unconscious knowledge represented by Universal Physics has a similar effect.