Differentiate between automatic processing and controlled processing. Then provide an example from your own life of how a controlled process became an automatic process.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Student examples will vary. A sample answer follows.
An automatic process is one that a person can activate without control or attention and complete easily and without much effort. A controlled process is one that a person must consciously activate and that requires at least some focused attention.
When I first learned to read, it was a controlled process. I had to decide that I wanted to read a word or sentence and then work hard to decode it. Sounding out syllables took time and attention, and I often made mistakes. Eventually reading became an automatic process. When I saw a poster, I could read it without even thinking about it. Also, I became able to read hundreds or even thousands of words in a sitting without much conscious effort.