Informationally encapsulated process is a process with the property of informational encapsulation.
In the psychology context, an informationally encapsulated process is a cognitive process that is independent of other cognitive processes and is not influenced by beliefs or knowledge from other domains. These processes operate automatically and without conscious awareness, making them resistant to modification by external factors.
An example of an informationally encapsulated process is the ability to perceive simple geometric shapes such as squares and circles. Even when these shapes are presented in a way that is inconsistent with the viewer's beliefs or expectations, they are still perceived as squares or circles.
Another example is the ability to process emotional expressions in faces. Even when presented with a face that is unfamiliar or presented in a way that is inconsistent with typical emotional expressions, people are still able to accurately identify the emotion being expressed.
Informationally encapsulated processes are thought to be the result of specialized cognitive mechanisms that have evolved to solve specific problems in the environment. They are contrasted with more general cognitive processes, such as reasoning and problem solving, which are influenced by beliefs, knowledge, and context.