When Thinking Disrupts Intellectual Performance

Abstract

When overlearned motor acts are mindfully considered while they are being performed, performance typically is severely disrupted. The present research questioned whether a similar debilitation results when mindful consideration is given to intellectual behavior that has been overlearned. Subjects discussed either an overlearned or novel issue and did so either immediately, after a short delay, or after a short delay where a suggestion was made to think about the issue during the delay. Thinking resulted in less articulate speech when addressing an overlearned but not a novel issue.