Her Topic 3 Quiz stuff

Hypothesized functional purposes of System 2

1) Detect and resolve conflict; 2) Inhibit or maintain concepts/actions in working memory; 3) Simulate alternative/hypothetical action sequences for planning

Conflicting evidence from response times for intuitive prosociality vs selfish gene

Response times are faster when people donate to a public good vs keep money, but response times are also faster when people act selfishly (vs generously) in the Dictator Game

Dictator Game

2-player task where one player unilaterally decides how much money to give a partner vs keep; the partner has no say

Ultimatum Game

2-player task where one player proposes a split; the partner can reject it, leaving both players with $0

Public Goods Game

Multi-player task where players contribute to a common pool vs keep money; contributions are multiplied (often 2–3×) and then divided equally among players

Conflicting evidence from time pressure for intuitive prosociality vs selfish gene

Time pressure increases donations in a Public Goods Game but decreases donations to another player in the Dictator Game

Why faster RTs for prosocial/selfish decisions don’t prove automaticity (study result)

In Dictator Game, generosity usually takes longer; prompting focus on ethics/partner feelings increases generosity and eliminates or reverses RT pattern (selfishness can take longer), contradicting simple “automatic” interpretations

Why time pressure effects don’t prove automatic vs effortful decisions (study result)

Time pressure can shift attention: in Dictator Game it reduces processing and increases focus on own payoff → more selfishness; in Ultimatum Game it shifts focus to partner outcomes/punishment risk → less selfishness, suggesting strategic processing

Ego depletion theory of self-control

System 2/self-control is a limited resource that can be temporarily weakened after use, but strengthened with practice over time

Food-consumption evidence for ego depletion

Resisting cookies and eating radishes instead reduces persistence on a later difficult cognitive task

Regulatory practice evidence for ego depletion

Two-week self-control practice (posture, mood regulation, or eating control) increases persistence on an effortful physical task vs control group

Evidence against ego depletion

Meta-analyses suggest small effects; evidence of file-drawer/publication bias; well-powered replications often fail

Three explanations for mixed ego depletion replication

1) Non-replication studies may not test truly habitual hard-to-control behavior; 2) tasks may not tax executive control long/hard enough; 3) motivational factors (labor–leisure tradeoffs) may explain effects

Labor–leisure tradeoff theory of ego depletion

After effort, people lose motivation (not ability) to keep exerting effort, shifting preference toward leisure/low-effort tasks

Long-effort study supporting ego depletion

After ~6 hours of hard N-back, people make more impatient choices; 6 hours of easy N-back has no effect

Info-processing vs motivation test of ego depletion (design + result)

After hard working-memory task then Stroop, modeling separates precision (ability) from effort motivation (accuracy threshold); only effort motivation changes, not cognitive ability

Do executive control differences predict self-control outcomes?

Large N≈500 study using many executive tasks + ML predicts outcomes weakly: fails for problem drinking/drug use/mental health; explains only small variance in smoking, obesity, financial success

Brain areas where grey matter correlates with self-regulatory success

Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) and ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC)

Cognitive Reflection Test (CRT)

Test of tendency to double-check and correct intuitive but wrong answers

Behaviors correlated with poor CRT performance

More impatience in intertemporal choice; greater belief in fake news; stronger religious beliefs

Outcomes correlated with valuing immediate rewards (impatience)

Associated with obesity, preference for Fox News over NPR, and racial prejudice

Want-to vs have-to theory of self-control

Want-to goals (genuinely valued) relate to more positive implicit attitudes and greater goal success; have-to goals (felt obligation without valuing) don’t predict attainment

External motivation sources to avoid prejudice

Self-presentation concerns and desire for others’ approval

Internal motivation sources to avoid prejudice

Personal standards/values to behave in an egalitarian manner

Devine’s multi-step prejudice reduction process

1) Recognize prejudice as undesirable; 2) Attempt egalitarian behavior; 3) Feel guilt when violating standards; 4) Internalize egalitarian standards into self-concept

Motivation combo linked to lowest implicit prejudice (IAT)

High internal motivation + low external motivation

Implicit theory explanation for when ego depletion appears

Beliefs matter: “limited resource” theorists show depletion-like effects; “unlimited resource/energizing” theorists do not

How implicit theories shape exhaustion → performance

Beliefs don’t reduce felt exhaustion, but exhaustion predicts worse later performance only when people endorse a limited-resource theory

Working memory and COVID social distancing

Higher WM predicts more reported compliance because people can maintain long-term benefits despite short-term costs

Working memory and social norm compliance

Higher WM predicts greater fairness norm compliance, especially under punishment threat; this norm sensitivity also correlates with COVID distancing compliance