Which of the following is an example of automatic processing?
Multiple Choice Question
a) learning to drive a car
b) studying for an exam
c) dreaming
d) walking while you talk on the phone
The Correct Answer and Explanation is :
The correct answer is: d) walking while you talk on the phone
Automatic processing refers to mental activities that require minimal or no conscious effort or attention to perform. It involves tasks that have become so practiced and routine that they can be carried out without conscious thought. In contrast, controlled processing requires conscious effort and attention, such as learning new information or performing complex tasks.
Walking while talking on the phone is a prime example of automatic processing. Walking is a complex motor activity that typically becomes automatic with practice. Most people don’t have to consciously think about the mechanics of walking — which muscles to contract, how to balance, or the timing of each step. Instead, these actions are handled automatically by the brain, freeing up cognitive resources to focus on other tasks, like carrying on a conversation.
In contrast:
- Learning to drive a car (a) is initially a controlled process because it requires conscious thought and attention to master the skills needed. Over time, aspects of driving can become automatic, but the learning phase is heavily reliant on controlled processing.
- Studying for an exam (b) requires active and conscious engagement with the material. It involves controlled processing to comprehend, memorize, and apply the information.
- Dreaming (c) is a subconscious process that occurs during sleep. It is not an active or controlled task and involves different brain mechanisms that are neither automatic nor controlled processing in the conventional sense used in cognitive psychology.
Thus, walking while talking on the phone (d) is the best example among the options of automatic processing because it shows how routine activities can be performed alongside other tasks without requiring focused mental engagement. This illustrates the efficiency of the brain’s ability to automate routine tasks to manage more than one task at a time effectively.