A 3 STAGE MODEL OF AWARENESS - FORMULATION AND INITIAL EXPERIMENTAL SUPPORT

THE various components which together make up the complex state of con sciousness require neural support involving a connected network of man y brain areas at differing levels. At the lowest level is non-aware pr ocessing, of which there is not direct awareness. There are also modul es involved in processing with awareness but without focussed attentio n. Finally there must be a set of modules involved in directing attent ion in a controlled manner. We expect to be able to dissociate the var ious components of the three-stage network by using different levels o f attention. The results of an auditory experiment performed under thr ee different levels of awareness and attention are analysed to show su pport for the three-stage model of awareness. The relevant auditory ar eas are delineated. (C) 1998 Rapid Science Ltd.