> Simliarly, a piano player isn't "dissociating" just because he or she isn't thinking about which finger goes to which key at all times.
The piano player example is apples to oranges with driving on auto-pilot example. In the auto-pilot example, you are responding to external stimulus (even without a kid jumping into the road), in the piano player example, he/she is using "muscle memory."
Also, the piano player doesn't get to the end of the piece and forget ever playing the piece.
In improvisation in an ensemble (e.g. jazz), you respond to external stimulus. Also, in improvisation, you can sometimes lose yourself and not even know what your fingers are doing at times. You will not remember exactly what you played even moments later. I sometimes noodle on my guitar while reading.
The piano player example is apples to oranges with driving on auto-pilot example. In the auto-pilot example, you are responding to external stimulus (even without a kid jumping into the road), in the piano player example, he/she is using "muscle memory."
Also, the piano player doesn't get to the end of the piece and forget ever playing the piece.