One theory of thinking and decision-making

Question 1

One theory of thinking and decision-making

Answer 1

One theory of thinking and decision-making is the Dual Processing Model. In this model of thinking, people use two types of thinking to handle information and complex tasks - system 1 and system 2 thinking.

Question 2

System 1

Answer 2

In system 1 thinking, the thinking process is fast, automatic, and based on previous experience. As we practice something, it moves from requiring system 2 thinking to system 1 thinking. For example, this would be how one ties a shoe after repeated practice; the process has become automatic.

Question 3

System 2

Answer 3

System 2 thinking is slower, more deliberate, and effortful, but also less prone to mistakes. We tend to use this system in unfamiliar situations when our system 1 thinking is not working.

Question 4

which system do we prefer

Answer 4

However, we prefer to use system 1 thinking as we are cognitive misers. System 1 thinking uses mental shortcuts called heuristics - such as anchoring bias - where we fail to think logically about a decision using System 2 thinking and base our decisions on information that is immediately available to us.

Question 5

One study on thinking and decision-making

Answer 5

One study done on the Dual Processing Model was done by Wason. He asked participants to carry out a logical puzzle involving four cards. This puzzle was abstract, but if thought through correctly, could be relatively easy to solve. He found participants repeatedly chose the wrong answers and afterward could not explain why they chose the cards that they did. This suggests that they used their automatic system 1 thinking as opposed to the logic-based system 2 thinking.

Question 6

The follow study

Answer 6

A follow-up study by a different researcher later found that with the same card task, if the task was not abstract, people were less prone to making mistakes. It appears that our system 1 thinking is less prone to errors in concrete situations. This study by Wason supports the Dual Processing Model as participants jumped to an incorrect decision without being able to explain their thinking process.