Unconscious biases in task choices depend on conscious expectations.
Recent studies highlight the influence of non-conscious information on task-set selection. However, it has not yet been tested whether this influence depends on conscious settings, as some theoretical models propose. In a series of three experiments, we explored whether non-conscious abstract cues could bias choices between a semantic and a perceptual task. In Experiment 1, we observed a non-conscious influence on task-set selection even when perceptual priming and cue-target compound confounds did not apply. Experiments 2 and 3 showed that, under restrictive conditions of visibility, cues only biased task selection when the conscious task-setting mindset led participants to search for information during the time period of the cue. However, this conscious strategy did not modulate the effect found when a subjective measure of consciousness was used. Altogether, our results show that the configuration of the conscious mindset determines the potential bias of non-conscious information on task-set selection.
Department of Experimental Psychology; Mind, Brain and Behavior Research Center, University of Granada, Granada, Spain. Electronic address: cgonzalez@ugr.es.
Carlos
C
González-García
Department of Experimental Psychology; Mind, Brain and Behavior Research Center, University of Granada, Granada, Spain. Electronic address: tudela@ugr.es.
Pío
P
Tudela
Department of Experimental Psychology; Mind, Brain and Behavior Research Center, University of Granada, Granada, Spain. Electronic address: mruz@ugr.es.
María
M
Ruz
D000328:Adult; D002755:Choice Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D003243:Consciousness / Q000502:physiology*; D056344:Executive Function / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D014473:Unconscious, Psychology; D055815:Young Adult
Cognitive control; Consciousness; Decision-making; Non-conscious bias; Objective and subjective unawareness; Task-set selection