HL EXTENSION - Thinking and Decision-Making

What are some examples of digital technology used in daily life?

Online videos, laptops, games, social media, and search engines.

What theory did Kahneman propose to explain human thinking and decision-making?

The Dual Processing Model (DPM).

What are the characteristics of System 1 in the DPM?

Fast, intuitive, and not reliable.

What are the characteristics of System 2 in the DPM?

Slow, rational, and reliable.

Which system is more prone to cognitive biases and heuristics?

System 1

What is a heuristic?

A cognitive shortcut that can lead to biases in decision-making.

What is the availability bias?

A mental shortcut that relies on immediate examples that come to mind.

How can action video games positively affect cognitive processes?

They involve problem-solving, critical thinking, and strategic planning, training System 2 to become faster and more effective.

What was the aim of Bavelier et al. (2011)?

To investigate the connection between action video games and decision-making.

What was the sample in Bavelier’s study?

: Men and women who had never played video games before.

What were the two experimental conditions in the study?

One group played an action video game; the other played a simulation game involving life decisions.

What did participants do after playing for 50 hours?

They completed a computer test to assess their decision-making skills.

What were the results of Bavelier et al. (2011)?

Both groups completed the task, but the action video game group was faster and made fewer errors.

What was concluded from Bavelier’s study?

Action video games can enhance cognitive processes like rapid decision-making and information processing.

What is one strength of Bavelier’s study?

It shows that rapid visuospatial coordination in video games may improve related real-life skills.

What biological support exists for Bavelier’s findings?

Other studies show that video games increase grey matter in the brain.

What is a weakness of the Bavelier study?

Participant variability in the independent sample design may affect group performance comparisons.

How can digital technology negatively affect thinking and decision-making?

: It can increase reliance on System 1, making users more prone to biases like the availability heuristic.

How does social media influence thinking through availability bias?

Users tend to remember posts showing fun and excitement and compare their lives to these unrealistic standards, impacting self-esteem.

What was the aim of Chou & Edge (2012)?

To examine the impact of the availability heuristic on Facebook users' self-evaluation relative to others.

What type of study was Chou & Edge (2012)?

A correlational study.

What was the sample in Chou & Edge’s study?

An opportunity sample of U.S. undergraduate students.

What were participants asked to rank in the survey?

Their agreement with statements like “Many of my friends have a better life than me” and “Many of my friends are happier than me” on a scale of 1–10.

What other data did researchers collect from participants?

• Hours spent on Facebook per week

• Average time spent with friends per week

• Number of Facebook “friends” not personally known

What was the main conclusion of the study? (Chou)

More time on Facebook increases exposure to examples of others having fun, leading to more social comparison and lower self-esteem.

What does the Chou study suggest about System 1?

Increased time on digital platforms affects System 1’s reliability, thus impairing thinking and decision-making.

What is one strength of Chou & Edge’s study?

Large sample size increases the study’s representativeness.

What are two weaknesses of Chou & Edge’s study?

• Survey data is self-reported and may be biased.

• The sample consists only of young people, so findings may not generalize to all users.

What is a conceptual weakness in the study’s measurement?

The data is subjective—definitions of happiness and self-worth vary among individuals.