COG 12 Understanding Reasoning: Types and Theories

What is reasoning?

the process of drawing conclusions based on evidence or principles.

What is deductive reasoning?

A type of reasoning that derives specific conclusions from general premises; conclusions follow logically if premises are true.

What is inductive reasoning?

A type of reasoning where general conclusions are drawn from specific observations or evidence.

How do deductive and inductive reasoning compare?

Deductive reasoning guarantees the truth of the conclusion if premises are true, while inductive reasoning leads to probable conclusions based on evidence.

What is syllogistic reasoning?

Reasoning using syllogisms—logical arguments with two premises and a conclusion.

What are the roles of premises & conclusions in syllogistic reasoning?

Premises provide the base information, and the conclusion must logically follow from them.

How does knowledge play a role in solving syllogisms?

Prior knowledge can bias reasoning, making believable conclusions seem valid even if logically incorrect (Type I processing).

What is conditional reasoning?

Reasoning that involves 'if-then' statements, testing the logical outcomes of these conditions.

What kind of statements are used in conditional reasoning?

'If P, then Q' statements.

What is the Wason card task?

A task used to test conditional reasoning, where participants turn over cards to test a rule ('If a card has a vowel, then it has an even number').

What are single-process theories?

Theories suggesting reasoning is driven by a single cognitive system or strategy.

What are dual-process theories?

Theories proposing two systems of thinking: Type I (fast, intuitive) and Type II (slow, analytic).

What distinguishes dual-process theories from single-process theories?

distinguishes between intuitive and deliberate thinking; single-process assumes one uniform process.

What is the probability heuristics model?

A model that suggests people use probabilistic reasoning based on prior knowledge rather than strict logic.

What is the mental models theory?

Suggests people construct mental representations of possible scenarios to reason through problems.

What is analogical reasoning?

Reasoning based on comparing two similar situations to draw conclusions.

What is the 2-4-6 Rule Discovery Task?

A task where participants generate hypotheses by testing number triples to discover an underlying rule, often illustrating confirmation bias.

What is the dual-process framework?

A theory that reasoning involves two types of processes: Type I (intuitive) and Type II (analytical).

What are Type I and Type II processes?

Type I is fast, automatic, uses heuristics, and needs little effort. Type II is slow, deliberate, and needs more cognitive resources.

How do Type I and Type II contrast?

Type I is intuitive and effortless, while Type II is effortful, logical, and requires working memory.

What is scientific reasoning?

A method of reasoning that involves forming hypotheses, testing them systematically, and evaluating evidence.

How does scientific reasoning seek information?

Through hypothesis generation, experimentation, and analyzing evidence for or against hypotheses.