Conscious and
non-conscious mechanisms

See Working with conscious and non-conscious processes 

Reflection is frequently conceptualised as a conscious, rational process (see Marshall, 2019). However, a full understanding of reflection needs to take into account what happens at the non-conscious level. The reflective system in this site is proposed to operate interactively at various levels of conscious awareness. 

Some neuroscientists argue that conscious processing is merely a post-hoc narrative that the brain creates so that we can communicate the outputs of non-conscious processing to others (Oakley & Halligan, 2017; Sklar et al., 2021). 

Dual process theory

Dual process theory proposes that our brains use two different systems to process information and make decisions.

System 2 processing is usually presented as happening consciously whereas System 1 processing often happens with varying degrees of conscious awareness. 

Some authors have proposed that the systems are not independent but that they constantly interact. Others have proposed they are not two separate systems but one system operating along a spectrum from system 1 type behaviour to system 2  type behaviour. Still others propose that processing happens on multiple spectra (fast-slow, automatic-deliberative, effortless-effortful).

According to spectrum-based models, the degree of conscious awareness will vary depending on the context and nature of the processing. In some cases, the only sign we have of the process is its affect on our behaviours. In others, only the outputs of processing emerge into conscious awareness, usually in the form of some emotional state or physical reaction (gut feeling) which may then be articulated into a conscious evaluation. In others, we may be aware of the inputs (perceptions) and outputs (conclusions) but not aware of how we got from one to the other.  And in some cases, we are aware of the whole process.

See also Brain stuff