what is the difference, if any, between the unconscious and the subconscious? > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On > Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Saturday, January 30, 1999 11:27 AM > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: Distinction between different meanings of unconscious > > > In discussing with my intro-to-psych students how confusion can > arise when we > use the same term to refer to different ideas, I often use the > example of the > word "unconscious." There is an everyday meaning of this term--a > "much-reduced > awareness of external events"--and a psychological meaning of > this term--the > "set of mental events of which the individual is not aware." (Even the > psychological meaning of the term varies among the psychodynamic > and cognitive > approaches, but I am not concerned with that here.) Thus, the > everyday meaning > of the term involves variations in how aware one is of external events > (changes in the "state" of the conscious level) whereas the psychological > meaning of the term involves variations in how aware one is of > internal events > (changes in the "level" of awareness--e.g., conscious to preconscious to > unconscious levels). > > I like using this distinction to make the point that controversies may > sometimes be due to the fact that the same term is used in > different ways by > different researchers: students are familiar with both meanings > of the term > but they probably never have thought about the fact that they use > this term in > different ways at different times (thus, it illustrates the > problem for them > in their own lives). But, I have never seen this distinction discussed > anywhere. In fact, it seems to me that several intro textbooks (such as > Weiten's, which I used to assign), confuse the two meanings of the term. > > Has anyone ever seen a discussion of this distinction between the > everyday and > psychological meanings of the term "unconscious"? Such a > discussion might help > me in making the point about different meanings of the same term; > and it also > might help me in making sure that the distinction I am making is > a real one. > > Jeff Ricker > Scottsdale Community College > Scottsdale AZ > [EMAIL PROTECTED] >
