The Non-Conscious Executive

1. The Non-Conscious Executive Ran R. Hassin The Hebrew University Many thanks to: Henk Aarts John Bargh Ruud Custers Baruch Eitam Tali Kleiman

2. “Executive” in the literature

3. Four points of agreement * Executive processes (EP) are necessary for flexibility, for overcoming the habitual * EP are necessary for conflict control (e.g, self control) * EP are resource demanding * EP are conscious

4. Outline of the talk Three Chapters (plus minus two) * Non-conscious conflict * Non-conscious resource demanding processes * Non-conscious flexibility Method * “Multiple experiments” paradigm - Prime a goal - Measure goal-directed behavior

5. Methods of Goal Priming Building Cooperate Turtle Table Team Green Share Staple Plant Commune Dog Lamp Together

6. Methods of Goal Priming Building Cooperate Turtle Table Team Green Share Staple Plant Commune Dog Lamp Together

7. Methods of Goal Priming Building Cooperate Turtle Table Team Green Share Staple Plant Commune Dog Lamp Together • Cooperate vs. Control

8. Methods of Goal Priming • +

9. Methods of Goal Priming • Cooperate

10. Methods of Goal Priming • Encyclopedia

11. Outline of the talk Three Chapters (plus minus two) * Non-conscious conflict * Non-conscious resource demanding processes * Non-conscious flexibility Method * “Multiple experiments” paradigm - Prime a goal - Measure goal-directed behavior

12. Chapter 1: Non-conscious goal conflict

13. Goal Conflict Three markers of goal conflict (in repeated decisions): * Longer decision times * Greater variability in decisions * Stronger effects of environmental “noise”

14. The Current Research Commons resource dilemma * Subjects play against a presumed other participant * 100 fish in the lake * Each season participants fish X fish * Decide: How many to return to the lake * The fish population will extinguish below 70 The conflict * Competing (keep many fish to oneself; dominant goal) * Cooperating (keep few fish)

15. Study 1: Priming Cooperation Building Cooperate Turtle Table Team Green Share Staple Plant Commune Dog Lamp Together

16. Study 1: Priming Cooperation Goal priming: Word search task (Bargh et al., 2001) Building Cooperate Turtle Table Team Green Share Staple Plant Commune Dog Lamp Together

17. Study 1: Priming Cooperation Goal priming: Word search task (Bargh et al., 2001) Building Cooperate Turtle Table Team Green Share Staple Plant Commune Dog Lamp Together • Cooperate vs. Control

18. Study 1 Commons Task: * 60 Trials * occasional warnings (“the fish population is at risk”)

19. Study 1: Results

20. Study 1: Results Trial

21. Study 1: Results

22. Study 1: Results Fishing season

23. Study 1: Results

24. Study 1: Results Awareness * No awareness of priming * No differences in goal commitment measures of conflict * No differences in experienced conflict * No differences in experienced difficulty * No differences in perceived deliberation * No differences in enjoyment * No differences in mood Commons resources dilemma (5 trials)

25. Study 2: Non-conflicting goal Prime ‘competing’ (maximizing profit) Common resources dilemma

26. Study 2: Results

27. Study 2: Results

28. Study 3: Results

29. Study 2: Results Awareness * No awareness of priming * No differences in goal commitment measures of conflict * No differences in experienced conflict * No differences in experienced difficulty * No differences in perceived deliberation * No differences in mood Commons resources dilemma (5 trials)

30. Study 3: Environmental noise Prime ‘cooperation’ Two Tasks: * Numerical Judgment: Odd or Even * Commons resources dilemma

31. 9 odd even You fished X fish Return Study 3: Environmental noise

32. 2 odd even You fished X fish return Study 4: Environmental noise

33. Study 3: Environmental noise Prime ‘cooperation’ Two Tasks: * Numerical Judgment: Odd or Even * Commons Resources Dilemma “Numerical Judgments” provided either * High Anchors * Low Anchors

34. Study 3: Results

35. All 3 markers of conflict without conscious awareness Summary of results Study 1: NonCon conflict  increased decision time, variance Study 3: NonCon conflict  increased use of environmental noise

36. Chapter 2: Non-conscious goals are allocated resources

37. Study 1: Resources “Multiple Experiments” * Achievement Priming * Measure working memory span (i.e., resources)

38. Study 1: Logic Simplifying assumptions: * we have 100 units of available resources * a fixed proportion is allocated to every goal prime task Overall task

39. Resources -- Logic Simplifying assumptions: * we have 100 units of available resources * a fixed proportion is allocated to every goal prime task Overall task

40. Study 1: “Automatic” SPANs • Procedure • * Priming (word search) • * RSPAN • * Priming (subliminal) • * OSPAN

41. Study 1: OSPAN • 3 * 8 = 24 DOG • 2 + 5 = 7 Flower • 6 / 3 = 3 Computer • SURPISE CUE FOR RECALL • 7 * 1 = 7 Hat • … • DV: • -- Words recalled in their right order

42. Study 1: RSPAN • He loves tea DOG • Green ideas sleep Flower • George rules! Money • SURPISE CUE FOR RECALL • Scottish sheep are great Hat • … • DV: • -- Words recalled in their right order

43. Study 1: Results OSPAN Span

44. Study 1: Results RSPAN Span

45. Other Studies Improved inhibition after achievement priming Impaired inhibition after priming of fun, going out Impaired inhibition after priming of personal goals

46. Chapter 3: Non-conscious flexibility

47. Flexibility: The WCST Wisconsin Card Sorting Test Rules that determine correct sortings change Subjects have to adapt to these changes

48. Study 1: Results Correct Responses

49. Study 1: Results Infelxibility

50. Other Studies More flexibility after flexibility priming More flexibility in attribution tasks Less flexibility after prevention priming