On the brain-imaging markers of neural correlates of consciousness

This opinion article argues that the contrastive analysis approach, which compares neural activity during conscious versus unconscious perception, has been the most productive method in consciousness research. It contends that this method is not merely a tool but has shaped the very questions researchers ask about consciousness. The author suggests that focusing on the contents of consciousness, particularly through criterion contents of report, provides a more tractable path forward than seeking a single neural correlate of consciousness. The article concludes that the contrastive approach will continue to yield progress by refining our understanding of the neural differences underlying conscious experience.

Study at a glance

Abstract

OPINION article Front. Psychol., 25 June 2015Sec. Consciousness Research Volume 6 - 2015 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2015.00868