Recent research indicates “ conscious and unconscious processes do not usually operate in opposition. They are not competitors wrestling for hegemony over the psyche, rather, there is only one mind in which conscious and unconscious strands

are interwoven “. Ayan, ( 2018 ).

A revolutionary and now widely accepted counter-model to Freud’s views goes by

the term The Predictive Mind.  Ayan, ( 2018 ).

The predictive mind theory by Solms and Friston not only stands Freud’s theory on

its head, but it contradicts the classic view that the cortex is the state of consciousness. In Solms and Friston ( 2018 ), predictive errors equals surprise equals consciousness, the state the brain tries to limit. Ayan. ( 2018 ).

In contrast to Freud, Solms states that our mind is not seeking greater consciousness but rather the opposite to keep consciousness to a minimum because it is energy and time efficient and it’s a survival mechanism.

Research has shown consciousness can be pinpointed to arise from activity in the

lower brain regions, specifically the reticular activating system, the ventral tegmentum, and the thalamus. Ayan, ( 2018 ), “ It is the deeper emotional parts of the brain, the

limbic structures from which consciousness arises, precisely those areas where

Freud located the unconscious. “

The theory of the predictive mind claims that automatic processes play a central role

in the mind, allowing us to function smoothly in the world and to become conscious when predictions fail. This also enables us to avoid the pitfalls of automatic processing and adjust to the change in the environment. Ayan, ( 2018 ).

It was Carl Friston who introduced the free energy principle, FEP, a mathematical, formalized version of the theory of the predictive brain. Free energy in the brain describes the neuronal state that results from the brain’s failure to make a correct prediction. The brain does all it can to avoid free energy. The FEP applies to all living organism systems. Ayan, ( 2018 ).

“ Simulation and imagination enable us to use memories of past events to stimulate or imagine the future and to consider what step one might take in order to optimize escape from a threat. Predictive Coding helps us to efficiently disambiguate present from future information, thus allowing for faster an optimal responses to threat.” Mobbs, et al ( 2015 ).

The predictive mind theory, the free energy principle and predictive processing are all part of the unconscious machinery that explains what it takes to exist for the brain to operate outside of conscious control. This unconscious machinery is also what helps a child to predict futuristic threats and to alert consciousness to join in the defence of the child’s well-being. Gladziejewski P.(  2019). Mechanistic Unity of the Predictive Mind.

“ In Gladiejewski ( 2019 ), predictive processing refers to the view the brain is a predictive machine striving to minimize precision-weighted error signals. It seems unlikely that they all apply to a single mechanism. In principle, it is plausible that the brain harbours a number of causally and functionally distinct mechanisms that fall

under the predictive processing scheme. There may be multiple prediction-error minimizing hierarchies responsible for distinct phenomena. “

Mobs et al. ( 2015 ) developed a survival optimization system model, SOS. They state prevention strategies include niche construction and group living.

Niche construction argues if an organism can predict an attack, then it’s also possible to prepare for it ahead of time. This requires an active change in the environment in order to be successful. One way to elevate SOS is through the ability to reduce threat by changing the environment ( niche construction ), and forming social coalitions ( Mobs D, Hagen C,C., Dalgleish, T., Silston, D., & Pravost, C., 2015 ). The ecology of human fear, survival optimization, and there nervous system.

Research in the study of unseen drug and sexual cues have suggested unseen threats that elicit hair trigger responses are likely associated with evolutionary survival instincts

Childress, et al, ( 2008 ). Prelude to Passion: Limbic activation by “ unseen “  Drug and sexual cues.

Mobbs et al. ( 2015 ) also found an anatomical relationship between the body’s central nervous system and the warning system that responds to fear. This biological mechanism is hardwired to the body’s survival instincts.

Baumeister, Vohs and Tice, ( 2007 ), have shown how depletion effects are essential

to survival—“ balancing homeostatic threats such as resource depletion, ( e.g. glucose depletion, fatigue effects), has produced a nervous system with a survival intelligence that permits appropriate responses to an array of environmental circumstances that range from non-threatening to life-endangering. “

Zohar and David, ( 2009 ), have added to this research, “ unique pressures may also play a role in human survival intelligence, these extend from cunningness, and understanding of other sinister desires, and metacognitive processes including meta-strategic knowledge.” Ayan, ( 2018 ). The brain’s autopilot mechanism steers consciousness.

In Gillebaart, 2018, behavior occurring automatically had the strongest effects on both desired and undesired behavior. Gillebaart M.(  2018 ).  The operational definition of self-control.

It could be that adolescents acquire a capacity to reject a parent through successive approximations. In Baumeister and Heatherton (1996 ), “ it may be the case that we learn through successive approximations. It could be hypothesized successive approximations is a way to install the building blocks for muscle memory and muscle memory involves the repetition of a skill until a person acquires success with that skill. When muscle memory is achieved it becomes an unconscious behavioral response. The recent literature is very supportive of unconscious automatized behaviors because they can best address self-control.” Baumeister & Heatherton, ( 1996 ). Self-regulation failure: An overview, Mobbs, et al, (2015).

Researchers confirmed that panic disorder is associated with the dorsal raphe nucleus ( DRN ), periventricular pathway, which includes projections between the hypothalamus and PAG. Deakin, J.F. & Graeff F.G., ( 1991 ) 5-HT and mechanisms of Defence.

In the study of fear research, immediate threat responses were and continue to be hard-wired spinal reflexes that provide rapid reaction to threat. Lee, et al. (1996 ). The freeze-flight-fight-( FFF ) system is equally sophisticated and in animal behavior, when escape is unsuccessful, the animal will either resort to fighting or playing dead. Mobbs, et al. ( 2015 ).

Fear circuits in animal and human neuroanatomical pathways have been studied by many research investigators. Ongur et al., 2003; Price, 2005; Fanselow, 1991; Bandler et al., 2000; Pinkest, 2011; Maier & Watkins ( 2005 ) discovered, “ highly controllable situations are likely to elicit flight responses— whereas uncontrollable or inescapable situations are likely to elicit immobility. “

The chameleon effect refers to unconscious mimicry of the postures, mechanisms, facial expressions, and to other behaviors of one’s interaction partners, such that one’s behavior passively and unintentionally changes to match that of others in one’s current social environment. Chartrand, T.l. & Bargh, J.A.. The Chameleon Effect: The Perception – Behavior Link and Social Interaction ( 1999 ).

In early research preceding the chameleon effect, J. A. Bargh, M. Chen, & L. Burrows, ( 1996 ), found, “  the more perception of another’s behavior automatically increases the likelihood of engaging in that behavior oneself. “

Mercer, ( 2019 ) cited support for the chameleon effect — “ None of the diagnostic efforts have considered the suggestion of Garber that some children are chameleons, responding differently to the social environment as provided by each parent, out of the child’s need to adapt and thus inadvertently escalating conflict when parents misinterpret the child’s contextualized words and behavior. “  Are intensive parental alienation treatments effective and safer for children and adolescents? Mercer, ( 2019 )