Introspection Flashcards
What is introspection?
Thoughts about our thoughts
What is introspectionism?
Approach with idea that can study how cognition works by training to report on own thoughts/processes
What is Comte’s paradox?
Idea that introspectionism doesn’t work because can’t have the observer and the reasoned be the same person as the observation is affected by the reasoning
What did Miller say about introspection?
The product of thinking not the process is what appears in consciousness
What do Nisbett and Wilson say about introspection? And what are the two reasons why?
Don’t get good insight when ask people as have very limited access into their own mental processes. Neglect factors that affect choice e.g. position in lineup when choosing favourite clothing item. Report factors that don’t contribute e.g. distractions on enjoyment of movie
What did Nisbett and Wilson’s 1977 actor observer study find
Looked at ratings of what aspects of job application seen influenced choice made (actor) versus what aspects of an application would influence choice if saw (observer). Found actor ratings of influence aligned more with observer ratings than objective influence. Others are better at reporting why we made decisions than ourselves.
What is change blindness? Give a study example
People aren’t able to accurately report on their ability to spot changes. Levin et al. 2000 found most didn’t notice change in image when flicking between two (plane with and without engine) despite saying would notice if the image changed.
What is choice blindness? Give an example study, and a bit extra on a similar study
People aren’t able to accurately report on why they made choices. Johansson et al. 2005 found that people didn’t notice when asked to explain a choice they didn’t make (which face is more attractive) and gave just as plausible and detailed explanations as choices they did make. Strandberg et al. 2020 found similar with polticial choices.
What is the Dunning-Kruger effect and what does this say about introspection?
There is a discrepancy between how good people are at tasks and how good they believe they are - discrepancy is largest in those who are worst at the task. Shows that people don’t give accurate judgements of their ability, modulated by their ability with better introspection when better at a task.
What is the illusion of explanatory depth and what does it show about introspection?
Keil 2003 found that people think understand things, such as technology, but aren’t able to explain to level reported understanding it to.
What is Nisbett and Wilson’s idea that we are telling more than we can know?
Evidence suggests we aren’t good at introspection, so when we are giving introspective judgements we are telling about processes we don’t actually have access to.
What is forced choice in magic tricks? Give an example study
People believe they have free will in their choices even when slight of hand tricks force them to choose a certain thing. Olsen et al. 2005 found that when asked to choose a card seen as magicians flick through a deck in way that only one card can actually be seen, most choose that card and say they had free will in that choice. Oddly was some overlap in those that believed only saw one card but still thought they had free will.
What did Libet et al 1983 find?
There is a discrepancy between when people report start thinking about making a movement (say where clock style dial was when started thinking about it) and brain activity involved in making movement.
So if we aren’t any good at introspection, what’s the point of studying it according to Nelson and Naren’s
“A system that monitors itself even imperfectly may use its own introspections as input to alter the systems behaviour” - idea that introspections/metacognive judgements can affect cognitive processes and behaviour.
What did Job et al. 2010 find on beliefs about effort? What about Savani and Job 2017?
See more errors in task after completing a depleting versus non depleting task when believe that cognitive effort is tiring “ego depletion”. Savani and Job found similar when comparing across cultures with different cultural beliefs about ego depletion.
