Definition of automatism
1a
: the quality or state of being automatic
b
: an automatic action
2
: the moving or functioning (as of an organ, tissue, or a body part) without conscious control that occurs either independently of external stimuli (as in the beating of the heart) or under the influence of external stimuli (as in pupil dilation)
3
: a theory that views the body as a machine and consciousness as a noncontrolling adjunct of the body
4
: suspension of the conscious mind to release subconscious images
automatism—the surrealist trend toward spontaneity and intuition — Elle
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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Time Traveler for automatism
The first known use of automatism was in 1776
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