PassingPsych

Thinking is the process of using knowledge and information to make plans, interpret the world, and make decisions about the world in general. Decision-making is the process of identifying and choosing alternatives based on the values and preferences of the decision-maker. The dual systems theory was proposed by Sloman in 1996, and suggests that thinking is both intuitive (system 1) and rational (system 2) and is implemented by the same hardware but uses different types of knowledge that are differently represented. In this essay, I will give a brief account of thinking and decision-making and the supporting study of Alter et al.

Alter et al were investing Systems 1 and 2 thinking. To investigate they used a lab experiment consisting of 40 Princeton students who had completed a Cognitive Reflections Test (CRT). This test is made up of 3 questions, and measures whether people use fast thinking to answer a question (and get it wrong) or use slow thinking (and get it right). Half the participants were given the CRT in an easy-to-read font, while the other half were given the CRT in a difficult-to-read font. The results showed that among students given the CRT in easy font, 90% answered at least one question incorrectly, while among the students given the CRT in difficult font, 35% had gotten at least one question wrong. In conclusion, when a question is difficult to read it causes participants to engage in more deliberate and effortful system 2 thinking. On the other hand when the question was in easy font participants used quick, unconscious and automatic System 1 thinking.to come up with an obvious but incorrect answer.

The researcher demonstrates the existence of System 1 and 2 thinking and decision-making. This can be seen through the use of the CRT, as participants in an independent group design were given an easy font or a difficult font. This is important as participants with the easy font will have used System 1 thinking as 90% of them answered at least 1 question wrong, whilst students with difficult font CRT used System 2 and 35% answered at least one wrong. Fewer errors were made were more decision-making was made. Therefore this study is useful in explaining thinking and decision making.