The cognitive neuroscience of consciousness

Consciousness research has advanced rapidly through cognitive neuroscience methods that combine multiple experimental techniques. This special journal issue presents five new empirical studies and one theoretical paper with peer commentaries, collectively examining how conscious mental states relate to brain activity patterns.

Study at a glance

Abstract

The past decade has seen an explosion of interest in the neural mechanisms underlying consciousness. Experimental approaches from cognitive neuroscience that emphasize converging evidence from multiple methodologies have changed our understanding of how conscious mental states are associated with patterns of brain activity. In this special issue of Cognitive Neuroscience, we bring together five new empirical contributions to this literature plus a new theoretical discussion paper and associated peer commentaries.