On the Relationship Between Consciousness and High-Level Cognitive Functions

Conventionally, high-level cognitive functions such as working memory operations, episodic retrieval, cognitive control processes and complex learning are thought to require conscious experience. Recently, there has been much debate on the necessity of conscious experience in these processes. While there have been reports of various high-level cognitive operations carried over representations of non-conscious stimuli, others have argued that these evidence is not as strong as has been suggested. This is often due to difficulties in reliably assessing subjective conscious experience.

This Research Topic deals with the interplay between conscious experience and high-level cognition. What is the evidence that higher-level cognitive functions can operate on non-conscious stimuli? What are the underlying brain processes? What are the properties of such non-conscious representations driving high-level cognition? How can the methodological difficulties affecting this research field be overcome?

We encourage researchers to submit new empirical work, as well as theoretical papers and commentaries. Research based on behavioral studies as well as neuroimaging and neurostimulation research is welcome.