Automaticity (pronounced /ˌɔːtəməˈtɪsɨti/) is the ability to do things without occupying the mind with the low level details required, allowing it to become an automatic response pattern or habit. It is usually the result of learning, repetition, and practice.

Examples of automaticity are common activities such as walking, speaking, bicycle riding, assembly-line work, and driving a car (see highway hypnosis). After an activity is sufficiently practiced it is possible to focus the mind on other activities or thoughts while undertaking an automaticised activity (for example holding a conversation or planning a speech while driving a car).

In Influence, Robert Cialdini's best selling book about social psychology and influence tactics, Cialdini explains how common automatic response patterns are in human behavior, and how easily they can be triggered, even with erroneous cues.^[1] He describes an experiment conducted by social psychologist Ellen Langer which illustrates how compliant people will be with a request if they hear words that sound like they are being given a reason, even if no actual reason is provided. Langer’s experimenters approached people standing in line to use a photocopier with one of three requests: “Excuse me. I have 5 pages. May I use the Xerox machine because I’m in a rush?” “Excuse me. I have 5 pages. May I use the Xerox machine?” or “Excuse me. I have five pages. May I use the Xerox machine because I have to make some copies?” When given the request + reason, 94% of people asked complied with the request. When given the request without a reason, only 60% complied. But when given the request with what sounds like a reason but isn’t, compliance jumped back to 93%. Langer is convinced that most human behavior falls into automatic response patterns.^[2][3]

LaBerge and Samuels (1974) helped explain how reading fluency develops.^[4] Automaticity refers to knowing how to do something so well that you do not have to think about it while doing it.

Some educational software incorporates the concept of automaticity.^{[citation needed]} By measuring the consistency of processing speed and accuracy of students' responses, foundation skills can become automatic. As a result, students can devote cognitive effort to higher order comprehension skills.

[edit] See also

• Habit (psychology)
• Habit formation
• Habituation
• Neural adaptation
• Brain fart

[edit] Sources

• PhysioEx 6.0 - Peter Zao - Timothy Stabler - Greta Peterson - Lori Smith
• Shriffrin, R. M., & Schneider, W. (1977). Controlled and automatic human information processing. II. Perceptual learning, automatic attending and a general theory. Psychological Review, 84(2), 127-190.
• Cialdini, R. B. (2001). Influence: Science and practice (4th ed.). Boston: Allyn & Bacon. p. 4

[edit] References

1. ^ Cialdini, R. B. (2001). Influence: Science and practice (4th ed.). Boston: Allyn & Bacon. Chapter 1.
2. ^ Cialdini, R. B. (2001). Influence: Science and practice (4th ed.). Boston: Allyn & Bacon. p. 4
3. ^ Langer, E. J., (1989). Minding matters. In L. Berkowitz (Ed.), Advances in experimental social psychology (Vol. 22). New York, Academic Press.
4. ^ Michael Pressley. "Comprehension Instruction: What Works". ReadingRockets. http://www.readingrockets.org/articles/68. Retrieved 2008-03-15. 

[edit] External links

• Automaticity: A learned advantage at Encyclopedia of Educational Technology
• Automaticity at Encyclopedia of Educational Technology
• Automaticity and Processing Without Awareness
• One manufacturer of learning software that incorporates automaticity