Automaticity

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This article is about automaticity of learning. For ability of the cardiac muscles to depolarize spontaneously, see Cardiac muscle automaticity.

Automaticity (IPA: /ˌɔːtəməˈtɪsɨti/) is the ability to do things without occupying the mind with the low level details required. 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).

LaBerge and Samuels (1974) helped explain how reading fluency develops.^[1] 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. 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.

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[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.