W8 Reasoning ✅

Question 1

What are the two types of reasoning?

Answer 1

1. Inductive: drawing general conclusions from specific observation or patterns.
2. Deductive: drawing specific conclusion from general observation of patterns.
   - syllogisms
   - propositional reasoning

Question 2

What is meant by syllogisms?

Answer 2

• Provides an alternative approach to psychological processes that underlie reasoning.
• Comprise of premises and a conclusion, involve the quantifiers (all, no, some,…)
• ## Validity is determined by the relations between premises - conclusion.Example 1: All A are B, and all B are C, SO all A are C
  -> 88% correct
  Example 2: All B are A, all B are C, SO some A are C
  -> Only 8% correct
  => Why?

Question 3

What are the 4 approaches that underlie Syllogism’s reasoning? [1/2]

Answer 3

1. Heuristics: “atmosphere (e.g. quality and quantity) of premises shapes conclusion
   - Quantity (either Universal or Particular)
   - Quality (either Affirmative or Negative)
   -> e.g. conclusion matches the tone of premises

BUT: doesn’t explain why people sometimes correctly infer “no valid conclusion”

2. Comprehension: clarifying premises greatly reduces the “error” rate (concise wordings make it more difficult to reason)

Question 4

What are the 4 approaches that underlie Syllogism’s reasoning? [2/2]

Answer 4

3. Mental models: construct a model of thought based on premises, contrast between multiple models to check for validity
   -> more alternative models = less accurate + slower
   -> requires more time, effort, and mental capacity

BUT..
- While multiple-model problems are harder, people don’t try to construct more model.
- No correlation between N considered and accuracy.

4. Framing and experience:
   Sorting premises to grid between believable/ unbelievable AND valid/invalid
   -> Dual process framework: people construct one model and based on whether conclusion is believable or not
   -> If desired model can’t be constructed then swayed by own belief
   => Belief produces overall bias AND affects reasoning itself

Question 5

What are the 4 approaches that underlie both types of deductive reasonings?

Answer 5

1. Identifying simplifying strategies (heuristics)
2. Interpretation of terms (comprehension)
3. Process models
4. Effects of framing and experience (dual process)

Question 6

What are the 4 approaches that underlie propositional’s reasoning?

Answer 6

Wason’s selection task to test propositional.

1. Heuristics: people gets confirmation bias
2. Comprehension: many people misunderstand the rule, but reason consistently after that
3. Mental model: people might make affirmation of consequence (e.g. A needs to happen before B, not vice versa)
   -> People aren’t generating enough model to make correct conclusion
4. Framing and experience: easier to rule out condition-based premise
   - Cuing of relevant prior experience
   - Evolved “cheater detection” algorithm

-> Relevance/expected utility makes it easier to reason and decide

Question 7

What are the definitions of these terms, based on the premise: “if [p]…, then [q]…”?

Answer 7

• Modus Ponens (MP): if [p] is true, then [q] is true
• Modus Tollens (MT): if [p] is false, then [q] is also false
• Affirmation of the consequent (AC): incorrect conclusion of IF [q] is true, then [p] is true
• Denial of the antecedent (DA): incorrect conclusion of IF [p] is true, then [q] is true

Question 8

What is meant by Propositional reasoning?

Answer 8

• Basic conditonal statements that can be true or false.
• Contains these: IF, AND, NOT, OR.