Which term refers to thoughts that are generally unavailable to awareness?

The term that refers to thoughts that are generally unavailable to awareness is "unconscious." This concept stems from psychoanalytic theory, particularly from the work of Sigmund Freud, who proposed that the unconscious mind houses thoughts, memories, and desires that are not accessible to conscious awareness but still influence behavior and emotions. These unconscious processes can affect one’s actions without them being aware of the underlying motivations, often manifesting through dreams or slips of the tongue, known as Freudian slips.

In contrast, implicit thoughts refer to knowledge or attitudes that influence our judgments and behaviors without conscious awareness but may still be retrievable under certain conditions. The preconscious is a part of the mind that contains thoughts that can be brought to consciousness with some effort. Consciousness encompasses the thoughts and experiences that one is currently aware of. Therefore, "unconscious" accurately captures the essence of thoughts that are generally unavailable to awareness, distinguishing it from these other related concepts.