Two Theories of Consciousness: Competition vs. Unity

Comparison of how Broadcast Theory and Integrated Information Theory explain consciousness, showing their different focus areas and predictions.

Side-by-side bar chart comparing eight key aspects of consciousness across two theories. Broadcast Theory scores highest on selective attention (95), global access (90), and winner-take-all processing (90). IIT scores highest on unified experience (95), system unity (95), and information integration (90). The theories show complementary rather than competing strengths.
Scores represent how central each aspect is to the theory (0-100 scale). Broadcast Theory emphasizes competition and selective sharing. IIT emphasizes unity and integration of information. Both theories make testable predictions but focus on different aspects of consciousness. Complementary rather than contradictory approaches.
Chart: Comparative analysis of two leading scientific theories of consciousnessSource: Theoretical comparison based on Global Workspace Theory (Baars) and Integrated Information Theory (Tononi) Get the dataCreated with Datawrapper