Gut feelings more than mere guesswork

Article By: Cynthia Ross Cravit

- Jun 16, 2011

Do we know more than we think we know? A study shows that intuition may be more reliable than conscious thought.

When faced with a tough decision, it’s a question many of us have asked of our friends and ourselves: “What does your gut say?” We’ve been taught to trust our instincts – and as it turns out, for good reason.

A US study suggests that intuition may in fact stem not from mere guesswork but from information stored just beneath the surface of the conscious brain. And not only that: intuition may be more reliable than conscious thought processes when making decisions.

Intuition: A matter of memory

The Northwestern University study, published in the journal Nature Neuroscience , found that memories that can’t be consciously accessed are surprisingly accurate.

For the study, participants were given a special recognition test that involved watching 12 colourful kaleidoscope images that flashed up on a computer screen.

For half of the test, participants were allowed to concentrate on the images, but for the rest of the time they were deliberately distracted. A short while later, they were shown pairs of similar images and asked to identify which one they had seen before.

At the same time, using the latest brain-reading technology, researchers were able to detect brain waves that were distinct from those associated with conscious memory experiences. In other words, researchers could tell if the participant’s answers came from their conscious or unconscious memory.

The results?

First of all, surprisingly, people were more accurate in selecting the right image when they had been distracted than when they paid full attention, researchers said.

“We may actually know more than we think we know in everyday situations, too,” said Ken Paller, professor of psychology at Northwestern. “Unconscious memory may come into play, for example, in recognizing the face of a perpetrator of a crime or the correct answer on a test. Or the choice from a horde of consumer products may be driven by memories that are quite alive on an unconscious level.”

The study also links so called ‘lucky guesses’ to valid memories and suggests that people need to be more receptive to multiple types of knowledge, Paller added.

And while conscious memory is certainly important, the study suggests we shouldn’t rely on it alone. “It (the study) suggests that we also need to develop our intuitive nature and creativity. Intuition may have an important role in finding answers to all sorts of problems in everyday life — including big ones such as our ailing economy.”

The study backs up previous research showing that amnesia victims with severe memory problems often have strong implicit memories.

Source: Northwestern University News Centre

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