Final answer:
The term 'unconscious mind' refers to the mental processes that influence our conscious thoughts and behaviours without us being aware of them. Freud's iceberg analogy illustrates that the bulk of these processes, much like the submerged part of an iceberg, remain hidden and yet profoundly shape our actions.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term that refers to mental and emotional processes of which we are unaware but that influence our conscious thoughts and behaviors is unconscious mind. Sigmund Freud proposed that the unconscious mind plays a significant role in affecting our behavior and thoughts, much like an iceberg where the bulk remains unseen beneath the water's surface. This unseen mental activity includes repressed feelings and thoughts, and while we are not directly aware of these elements, they dictate much of our behaviors and conscious thoughts.
For instance, slips of the tongue, often referred to as Freudian slips, are believed to be influenced by our unconscious desires and thoughts that we may not be readily aware of. Such phenomena underscore the profound effect the unconscious mind has on our daily lives. Similarly, studies in cognitive psychology have demonstrated that different forms of implicit memory guide our behaviors and cognitive tasks without our conscious awareness.