Through statistical learning, people extract patterns from the environment to predict future events. In a longitudinal study, the authors show that statistical learning declines with age and that high...

Abstract. Many studies have claimed the existence of unconscious priming, but a valid statistical procedure for substantiating such claims is often lacking

What if transformers are disguised models of brain function?

Zoltán Dienes' research interests are scientific reform in publishing, and in how to obtain evidence that an effect does not exist; and consciousness science, especially how people can construct subje...

Thirty years ago, Block proposed a hugely influential distinction between phenomenal (P) and access (A) consciousness [1,2]. A state is P-conscious if there is something it is like to be in it, and A-conscious if its content is available for reasoning, rational action guidance, and report. Block’s distinction is principally conceptual, but Block has since offered introspective, behavioral, and neuroscientific grounds for thinking that A-consciousness and P-consciousness actually dissociate. For instance, he has argued that iconic and fragile short-term memories are often P-conscious but not A-conscious; that ‘exclusion’ paradigms evidence contents which are P-conscious but not A-conscious; and that local recurrent processing in posterior regions realizes P-consciousness without the anterior activity required for A-consciousness [3–6].

Eye contact is one of the most potent social signals, but it remains unclear how little visual input is sufficient to register direct gaze, and whether such registration requires conscious awareness. ...

For many years, early autism interventions were developed without the involvement of autistic people. This review explores the views and experiences of autistic...

Abstract. Perceptual learning can occur without external feedback, raising questions about what internal signals might guide this learning. Here, we test t

Sensory horizons and the functions of conscious vision - Volume 49

Daydreaming is often viewed as a failure of attention, but new research suggests it serves a hidden purpose. Scientists have discovered that the temporary drop in self-control during mind wandering actually boosts the brain’s ability to unconsciously learn complex environmental patterns.

The Gran Canaria Cognitive Research Center was established in 2024 as the first research institute in Gran Canaria dedicated to the study of the brain and cognition.

The assumption that attention and short-term memory combine to play a crucial role in cognition continues to influence cognitive modeling. We trace the development of the multicomponent model of worki...

Thursday May 7th (preceded by socialising evening May 6th) No registration needed. Lunch and coffee provided. Venue: Meeting House, University of Sussex. The campus can be accessed via Falmer railway ...

Cognitive diversity, reflected in variations of language, perspective, and reasoning, is essential to creativity and collective intelligence. This diversity is rich and grounded in culture, history, and individual experience. Yet, as large language models (LLMs) become deeply embedded in people’s lives, they risk standardizing language and reasoning. We synthesize evidence across linguistics, psychology, cognitive science, and computer science to show how LLMs reflect and reinforce dominant styles while marginalizing alternative voices and reasoning strategies. We examine how their design and widespread use contribute to this effect by mirroring patterns in their training data and amplifying convergence as all people increasingly rely on the same models across contexts. Unchecked, this homogenization risks flattening the cognitive landscapes that drive collective intelligence and adaptability.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), a peer reviewed journal of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) - an authoritative source of high-impact, original research that broadly spans...

Abstract. Although in recent years some studies have found evidence suggesting that working memory (WM) may operate on unconscious perceptual contents, dec