Don:
">Most of the brain's activities are subconscious. And as one person pointed
>out, this does not mean emotional. Almost all over learned skills are
>subconscious. "
I think the brain is comparing the relative relationships of multiple inputs
from multiple senses and comparing the pattern to memorized outcomes of past
experiences to make an intuitive decision. More complex than the yes/no
outcomes of maths but possibly equally valid. Hard to analyse using our
simpler external linear problem solving techniques.Reading subtle
contradictions in sensorial input may be a part of intuition for example if
smell or sound contradicts our understanding of body language it may suggest
deception and lead to a reaction based on intuition. We have no formal
language for analysing our processing of senses like mathematics can predict
physics.
Rob
On Mon, Mar 30, 2009 at 2:35 AM, Mattias Arvola <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Don,
>
> although i sympathise with your definition of intuitive I would like to
> expand it. If we look
> at the notion of "intuitive" interfaces, I agree with your reasoning.
> However, I think that
> when it comes to research in relation to the design process we can expand
> on it.
>
> You often hear that designing is about employing tacit knowledge or
> intuition for that
> matter. In relation to this I like Jerome Bruner's definition in the
> introduction to The
> Process of Education (1960, p. 13) where he describes intuition as "the
> intellectual
> technique of arriving and plausible but tentative formulations without
> going through the
> analytical steps by which such formulations would be found to be valid or
> invalid
> conclusions". This is about how experts leaps to solutions and decisions,
> seemingly
> without analysis. Now, this is of course the starting point for some of
> Donald Schön's
> work. So where I wanted to go with this is that it is not only a matter of
> automated
> behaviour.
>
> What Bruner labels intuitive is perhaps something you would call
> subconscious.
>
> Cheers,
> // Mattias
> --
> Mattias Arvola, Ph.D.
> Sr. lecturer in Interaction Design.
> Linköping University and Södertörn University.
> www.arvola.se
>
>
> On Wed, 11 Mar 2009 09:50:38 -0700, Don Norman <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
> >I'd like to provide some definitions and some more structure.
> >
> >Intuitive.
> >
> >I have outlawed the use of intuitive in my writings and classes because
> >people seem to think "Intuitive" means easy and straightforward. Not at
> >all. Intuitive simply means that the action was done automatically,
> without
> >any conscious awareness, so that no explanation is possible. Almost all,
> >underline all) actions we do intuitively are the result of thousands of
> >hours of practice, so that initial skills become automated and, thereby,
> >subconscious. Whenever someone tells me they want to make some device so
> >simple that it is "intuitive," I always ask why they want the person to
> have
> >to spend thousands of hours learning it. (What are examples of intuitive
> >acts that take such a long time to learn? Everything. Walking, talking,
> >reading, writing, using a light switch (what a non-obvious object -- I
> flip
> >a switch here and a light way over there turns on or off).
> >
> >There are a few things built into human cognition that are intuitive by
> the
> >old definition: causality (if one event occurs roughly 100 msec. before
> >another, it is usually seen as causal). Fear of heights. Basic built in
> >functions (in what I have called the "visceral" level). But these are
> seldom
> >what designers are speaking of.
> >
> >
> >Subconscious.
> >
> >Most of the brain's activities are subconscious. And as one person pointed
> >out, this does not mean emotional. Almost all over learned skills are
> >subconscious. This is why the worst way to find out what a person needs is
> >to ask them. Sure they will tell you, but their answer is a
> rationalization.
> >Skilled psychologists can explain a person's behavior after careful
> >observation better than the person can explain their own behavior.
> >
>
--
Rob Curedale | President | Curedale Inc | 22148 Monte Vista Drive Topanga CA
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