Studied by 13 people
IB psychology paper 1 cognitive approach SL/HL APFC stands for aims, procedure, findings and conclusion.
Who came up with the idea of dual processing/dual systems theory?
Daniel Kahneman (2011)
What characteristics are associated with system 1?
-Impulsive, intuitive, automatic -Often not conscious -Associated with the limbic system
What characteristics are associated with system 2?
-Calculating, deliberate, thoughtful -Responsible for reasoning and beliefs -Associated with the frontal lobe
What are heuristics?
-Mental shortcuts that allow us to make efficient decisions or judgements -About making a quick judgement, not necessarily the best one
Positives of dual systems theory
-Can help explain rational and irrational decisions (applicable to gambling addiction) -Biological evidence that different types are processed in different areas of the brain
Negatives of dual systems theory
-Could it be that systems 1 and 2 operate on a continuum? -Reductionist (doesn't take into account other factors influencing decision making) -Does not explain how systems 1 and 2 interact
Which studies can be used for Dual Systems Theory?
Alter et al (2007) and McClure (2004) supports it and Carrere and Gottman (1999) does not support it
Dual systems theory: Alter at al (2007) APFC
A: To investigate whether system 2 could be activated deliberately to correct system 1/ the hypothesis that disfluency initiates rational thinking P: 40 undergraduate volunteers were randomly assigned to two conditions- they had to answer the same problems from the CRT (Cognitive Reflection Test) in different fonts. ‘Easy condition‘: 12-point black font. ‘Hard condition‘: 10-point, 10% grey, italic font. F: More participants answered the questions correctly when the font was difficult to read. (Mean correct in fluentcondition: 1.9. Mean correct in disfluent condition: 2.45.) C: Participants who were enforced to engage their system 2 thinking overrode their impulses. "Disfluency initiates systematic processing"
Dual systems theory: Alter at al (2007) critical thinking
-It is possible that rational thinking is triggered by slower pace, not disfluency. Question of internal validity (acknowledged by researchers)
What research method did Alter et al use?
Lab experiment
Dual systems theory: McClure (2004) APFC:
A: To examine the neural correlates for short- and long-term preferences for money rewards
P: While their brains were scanned using fMRI participants made decisions about receiving smaller/earlier or larger/later sums of money. The amount ranged from $5 to $15 and the time from 0 days to 6 weeks. At the end, one of the participant’s choices was randomly selected to count and they received the money at the specified time
F: Parts of the limbic system associated with dopamine were activated by immediate rewards. Parts of the prefrontal and parietal lobes were activated by later/larger rewards
C: Supports localisation of s1 to the limbic system and s2 to the cortex.
Dual Systems Theory: McClure (2004) critical thinking
-US-based study needing replication in more cultures
-Results did not specify a particular point where a s1 decision ‘becomes‘ an s2 decision. It is possible that each individual has a different point, or that there is an overlap where both areas are active. Failure to determine this is a weakness of both the theory and the study.
What research method did Alter et al use?
Lab experiment (fMRI)
How can Dual Systems theory (and the findings of Alter et al) be applied to addiction?
S1 controls the decision to gamble/take drugs/etc because the irrational/emotional limbic system becomes activated in response to the sight or smell of the desired object, and system 2 and the abstract concept of delayed gratification cannot override it
Dual systems theory: Carerre and Gottman (1999) APFC
A: to test whether psychologists could predict on instinct whether a couple would remain together based on 3 mins conversation (system 1 thinking) P: 124 newlywed couples were recruited from Seattle. Each partner completed an individual survey and issues identified used as the basis for a 15-min discussion. Based entirely on the first 3 mins, the specific affect (SPAFF) coding system allowed C+G to predict whether they would be married six years later. F: Divorced partners had given significantly higher indicators of negative emotion in SPAFF. C: system 1 can be highly reliable.. evidence against system 1 as more prone to error.
Dual systems theory: Carerre and Gottman critical thinking
-Evidence against dual systems theory because it suggests "system 1" is actually quite reliable -Can't be generalised to populations outside of the USA/homosexual couples/etc
What research method did Carrere and Gottman use?
Observation (longitudinal study)
What is a bias?
A systematic error that occurs when we try to interpret the world around us
Which three studies can be used in an essay about bias?
Tversky and Kahneman (1974), Lewis (1990) or Hamilton and Gifford (1976)
What is anchoring bias?
The tendency to rely too heavily on the first piece of evidence offered to us when making decisions
Which study can be used to explain anchoring bias?
Tversky and Kahneman (1974)
Anchoring bias: Tversky and Kahneman (1974) APFC
A: To investigate anchoring bias in reference to a mathematical problem P: High school students were divided into two groups and asked to quickly estimate 8x7x6x5x4x3x2x1 OR 1x2x3x4x5x6x7x8. F: The median for the ascending group was 512; the median for the descending group was 2250. The actual value is 40320. C: We rely on the first piece of evidence to make a decision.
Anchoring bias: Tversky and Kahneman (1974) critical thinking
-Supports theory of anchoring bias as participants relied more on first piece of information offered to them -Simple, easily replicated -Highly controlled and high internal validity -Low ecological validity as very artificial -Using the median allowed researchers to diminish the influence of outliers -A matched pairs design (students with better maths competency consciously distributed between the two groups) would have improved the study
What is illusory correlation?
The perception of a correlation where none is present
Which two studies can be used for illusory correlation?
Lewis (1990) and Hamilton and Gifford (1976)
Illusory correlation: Hamilton and Gifford (1976) APFC
A: To see if people associate negative traits with a minority group P: 110 university student participants listened to a series of statements made about group A (which contained 26 people) or group B (13 people). They were then asked to estimate the proportion of positive and negative traits in each group (which in fact were equal). F: They overestimated the number of negative traits in the minority group (group B) C: When minority group is paired with negative traits, the bad traits stand out more and we form an illusory correlation. Link to stereotyping.
Illusory correlation: Lewis (1990) APFC
A: To see how racial stereotyping may affect diagnosis and treatment P: 220 UK psychiatrists were randomly selected (list narrowed down to 139). They were shown a written case history and asked to make judgements about treatment, and predict whether criminal proceedings should be instigated as a result of the behaviour described. Some were told the patient was white, some Afro-Caribbean, but symptoms were identical. F: When the patient was described as black, psychiatrists were more likely to recommend drug treatment and the patient was seen as more violent/criminal C: Psychiatrists had made an illusory correlation. Representative of what is portrayed in media, with violent criminals only having their race mentioned when they are in a minority. Massive implications for patients in the real world
Note
Flashcard