Using the perceptual awareness scale (PAS)

Abstract

Abstract This chapter introduces the perceptual awareness scale (PAS) and makes suggestions for how it may be applied to study consciousness. The scale was originally developed by participants who were asked to describe their conscious experience of simple stimuli in a visual identification experiment. The scale has since then been applied in a number of contexts, although typically in the context of visual identification/detection of simple shapes, and in these types of experiments it has typically been found to be superior to other scales. The chapter reviews previous results and suggests how PAS may be used in future studies. Specifically, it argues that in some cases, PAS can be applied in its original form, but in other cases (e.g. when a new class of stimuli are used) it may be appropriate to allow participants to develop a PAS specific to the class of stimuli. Towards the end of the chapter is an explanation of how results may be analyzed, and finally a summary of some outstanding questions for future studies to address.