automatism

automatism A behavior that is performed without conscious knowledge and that does not appear to be under conscious control. This curious type of behavior occurs in a number of neurological and psychiatric disorders. The neurologic disorders associated with automatism include narcolepsy and some forms of epilepsy. The psychiatric conditions associated with automatism include schizophrenia and fugue states. Automatism involves doing something “automatically” and not remembering afterward how one did it or even that one did it. Also known as automatic behavior. See also epilepsy; seizure disorders.