Connections in Action – Bridging Implicit and Explicit Domains

Abstract

Implicit and explicit learning and knowledge processes differ with respect to acquisition as well as expression of knowledge. For instance implicit knowledge improves correlative to extended practise, is normally unknown to the subject and is closed to verbal reports. On the contrary, explicit knowledge works proportionately well on single exposures to stimuli, is accessible to awareness and is preferentially recoverable as propositional, rational statements, conceptualisations and the like. Standard view is that implicit and explicit learning are separately engaged as they attend to different tasks and seem to occupy distinct neural regions. Here, we report on results obtained in functional imaging studies, which suggest a revision of this view. The results imply a positive effect of extended naturalistic practise on processes responsible for categorising items in an object recognition task – knowledge traditionally thought of as explicit. The results therefore provide evidence of how implicit learning might influence explicit knowledge at the neural level.