Debates in Psychology How Implicit is Learning?

In recent years, considerable debate has arisen on the subject of implicit learning (learning without awareness). In particular, researchers argue over whether implicit learning gives rise to unconscious knowledge, and whether it gives rise to abstract knowledge. This book presents the views of many of the leading researchers in the area in relation to these and other questions. Implicit learning is said to occur when a person learns about a complex stimulus without necessarily intending to do so, and in such a way that the resulting knowledge is difficult to express. Over the last 30 years, a number of studies have claimed to show evidence of implicit learning. In more recent years, however, considerable debate has arisen over the extent to which cognitive tasks can in fact be learned implicitly. Much of the debate has centred on the questions of how unconscious, and how abstract, is implicitly acquired knowledge? The aim of this book is to provide students and researchers with a self-contained and balanced summary of the various theoretical and empirical positions that are currently shaping this exciting area of research.