IS RESEARCH PAINTING A BIASED PICTURE OF IMPLICIT LEARNING - THE DANGERS OF METHODOLOGICAL PURITY IN SCIENTIFIC DEBATE

The properties of implicit learning in natural settings are contrasted with those found in research. It is suggested that the search for pur e cases and the necessity of finding features that clearly discriminat e the two types of learning lead to bias in our estimation of the powe r of implicit processes. In more natural settings, such as face recogn ition, object perception, and natural language processing, implicit pr ocesses operate with flexibility and adapt to changes in environmental conditions. It is suggested that the search for pure cases of implici t processes has led to focusing on relevant but atypical examples of t hese processes. Additional research that emphasizes high levels of ski ll in control of complex systems may reveal greater adaptive power of implicit processes. However, such research may require less methodolog ical purity and more emphasis on synthesis of theoretical ideas rather than analysis into pure cases.