Reasoning Flashcards
What is deductive reasoning
- Treating information provided as accurate
- All information is provided for solving the problem
What is conditional reasoning
- Solving problems using conditional statements
I.e. (Marcus & Rips, 1979)
If it is raining then Fred’s hair gets wet
It is raining
Fred’s hair gets wet
Why do people make mistakes for conditional reasoning problem solving tasks
- It can be hard to reason when tasks aren’t relating to real world concepts (Oaksford & Chater, 1994)
- We just struggle with understanding formal logical tasks. We can reason logically most of the time (Braine, 1978)
Abstract Rule Theory
(Braine , 1978)
(theory of deductive reasoning)
People can reason logically but mistakes are made:
- misunderstand task
- too much mental effort
Comprehension error
- people assume what they know in real life relates to problem I.e. when it rains hair gets wet
- Reduce comprehension errors, presenting additional clarifying sentences (Braine et al, 1984)
Mental Model Theory
(Johnson-Laird, 1999)
(Theory of deductive reasoning)
- Creating a mental image in your head to help solve problems
- High demand on working memory
Principle of truth:
- Individuals tend to construct mental models to represent what is true
Newstead et al (1999)
- Mental models theory predicts more conclusions where more mental models created
- They found no difference in number of conclusions considered
(hard to get evidence as theres always alternative explanations)
Dual Systems approach
(reviewed by Evans, 2003)
(Theory of deductive reasoning)
Two systems
- Fast, automatic, based on prior knowledge and heuristics
- Slow, deliberate, abstract, based on logic
Probabilistic approach
(Oaksford and Charter, 2001)
(Theory of deductive reasoning)
- Probabilistic reasoning is used by people to solve deductive reasoning tasks over logic.
An example of this is Wason (1968) Selection Task
Wason (1968) Selection Task
A D 4 7
- If there is an A on one side of the card, then there is a 4 on the other side.
Answer - A 7
- only 4% correct
Thematic Materials
- People better at reasoning when material is meaningful
- Memory cuing hypothesis (Griggs & Coz, 1982), better at solving when involve real life. I.e. solve drinking problem based on their own experience.
- Memory cueing instead of proper reasoning
Manktelow & Evans, 1979
‘everytime i eat haddock i drink gin’
- drop in performance and real world version
Social Contact theory
- We should be good at problem solving tasks which involve social contracts
Gigerenzer & Hug (1992)
- If a employee gets a pension then they have worked for 10 years.
- Manipulate view point of being employer or employee
- The view point does impact the results
Criticisms of theory
- Only applies to ‘deontic’ versions of the Wason task
- Not always replicable
Probabilistic Approach
(Oaksford & Chater, 1994)
- Explains performance for all of the Wason tasks
- Don’t treat it as a deductive reasoning task but treat it as probability
- They did a meta analysis of over 30 experiments using different versions of the selection task
Deductive reasoning summary
- Characteristic errors i.e. can’t understand task, lack of biological approach, tendency to probabilistic approach in line with real life reasoning
Inductive reasoning
- Going beyond information provided to make conclusions (hypothesis testing)
- Conclusions may not always be true
Inductive reasoning
(Wason, 1960)
- 2-4-6 is a pattern
- Participants come up with triplets and ask experimenter if they confirm to the rule until they figure it out
- 21% correct with first statement
- 70% correct in the end
- Attempt to confirm rather than disconfirm hypothesis
Tweney et al (1980)
- Performance doesn’t improve when asked specifically to use disconfirmatory approach
