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Automatic processing means continuing to do the things we do while on what some might call autopilot.
Automatic processingand its sibling controlled processingstem from research popularized by psychologists like Daniel Kahneman.
Think of this as making your cup of coffee the way you normally make it in the morning.
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Activities like driving or typing, walking, those are all automatic processes.
And they come with practice.
Automatic vs.
But we can direct it to where we’re intentionally trying to control and regulate our breathing.
In this way, commonly used strategies likemindfulnessandcognitive behavioral therapyare engaging with this interplay between automatic and controlled processing.
One of the advantages of automatic processing is that, for most people, it saves you energy.
However, automatic processing also has a downside.
That lessening of intentional thought means that our biases can creep in.
By increasing our awareness of automatic processing, we can make more intentional choices and live more fulfilling lives.
Dobbs gives the example of someone who is struggling with a relationship near and dear to their heart.
Lets say someone is heartbroken.
They’re going through a tough week with their partner.
The cognitive bias might be, See, no matter how hard I try, nothing works out.
Part of that process is calledschema theory.
Schema, meaning a system.
Djulbegovic B, Hozo I, Beckstead J, Tsalatsanis A, Pauker SG.
Dual processing model of medical decision-making.BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making.
2012;12(1):94.
