Research Group "Top-Down-Modulation of unconscious perception"

supported by the German Research Foundation (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft)

 german version

Within the research network "Neuro-cognitive Mechanisms of Conscious and Unconscious Visual Perception" we investigate the functional and neuronal mechanisms underlying the modulatory influences of top-down factors on priming. In classical theories of automaticity, unconscious automatic processes are usually thought to occur autonomously and independently of higher-level top-down factors such as attention, intentions and task sets. However, recent research has challenged this view: There is evidence that a prototypical example of an automatic process, priming elicited by unconsciously perceived masked stimuli, depends on attention and action intentions similar to conscious controlled processes. This demonstrates the necessity to refine the classical concept of automaticity. Based on a gating framework, we assess how previously activated task sets affect priming effects elicited by unconsciously and consciously perceived masked stimuli. A newly developed cueing task allows us to systematically assess within one and the same paradigm the effects (i) of different task sets (e.g., attentional focus on perceptual or semantic word features) (ii) on different forms of priming (e.g., priming based on word meaning or on sensory-motor preparation) (iii) elicited by unconsciously and consciously perceived stimuli, respectively. This research will help us to address the question whether conscious and unconscious perception are governed by the same set of computational principles.

Members of the research group

Markus Kiefer, Ph.D. (principal investigator) Tel. +49 (0)731/500-61532

Sarah Adams. M.Sc. (doctoral student)

Julia Meier (doctoral student)

Anna Morschett (doctoral student)

Lana Rohr (diploma student/research assistant)

Hanna Schneegans (research assistant)

Selected References
 

Kiefer, M., & Spitzer, M. (2000). Time course of conscious and unconscious semantic brain activation. NeuroReport, 11, 2401-2407.

Kiefer, M. (2002). The N400 is modulated by unconsciously perceived masked words: Further evidence for an automatic spreading activation account of N400 priming effects. Cognitive Brain Research, 13, 27-39.

Kiefer, M., & Brendel, D. (2006). Attentional modulation of unconscious 'automatic' processes: Evidence from event-related potentials in a masked priming paradigm. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 18, 184-198.

Kiefer, M. (2007). Top-down modulation of unconscious 'automatic' processes: A gating framework. Advances in Cognitive Psychology, 3, 289-306.

Kiefer, M. (2008). Bewusstsein. In J. Müsseler (Hrsg.), Lehrbuch der Allgemeinen Psychologie. 2. völlig neu überarbeitete Auflage (pp. 154-188). Heidelberg: Spektrum, Akademischer Verlag.

Kiefer, M. & Martens U. (in press). Attentional sensitization of unconscious cognition. Task sets modulate subsequent masked semantic priming. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General.

Cooperations

Regarding these research questions we cooperate with:

Ulrich Ansorge
(University of Osnabrück, Osnabrück, Germany)

John-Dylan Haynes
(Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience, Berlin & Charité -  University Hospital, Berlin)

Uwe Mattler
(Georg-August University, Göttingen)

  Michael Niedeggen
(Freie University, Berlin)

  Rolf Verleger
(University of Lübeck, Lübeck)

  Stanislas Dehaene
(Collège de France, Paris, France)

  Michael Herzog
(École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland)

  Lionel Naccache
(Hôpital de la Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France)

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