Recent advances in research on the association between consciousness and unconsciousness in China

Abstract

In recent decades, Chinese scholars have introduced and modified several experimental paradigms for studying consciousness. With the advent of new fields, the paradigms used by Chinese scholars are essentially at the level of those used abroad. More importantly, they have proposed theories of consciousness including the concrete-and-steel model; the model of the interrelationship between consciousness, attention, and stimulus quality; the station monitoring room model; and the emergence theory. These theories have similarities as well as differences with classical theories of consciousness and unconsciousness, and have enriched the theoretical thinking in this field. However, there is still room for considerable theoretical and experimental development of the novel consciousness and unconsciousness research emerging from China; theories must be further developed and additional experimental research conducted in China.