Dual-Process Theories of Deductive Reasoning Study Notes

Dual-Process Theories of Deductive Reasoning

Overview of Dual-System Theories in Cognitive Psychology

• Definition: Dual-system theories present two distinct types of cognitive processes involved in reasoning and decision-making.

Type 1 Processes

• Characteristics:

  • Know how

  • Fast processing

  • Operates unconsciously

  • Not verbalizable; cannot be easily articulated

  • Not directly accessible to introspection

  • Automatic in nature

  • Procedurally based

  • Implicit; operates below conscious awareness

  • Sensory-motor involvement

  • Sub-symbolic representation

  • Low cognitive effort

  • Associative; relies on connections and associations

  • Intuitive; responses occur without deliberate reasoning

  • Contextualized; influenced by the specific situational context

  • Associated with cognitive biases

  • Referred to as System 1

Type 2 Processes

• Characteristics:

  • Know that

  • Slow processing

  • Operates consciously

  • Verbalizable; can be articulated easily

  • Accessible to introspection

  • Controlled and deliberate

  • Declarative in nature

  • Explicit; operates through conscious reasoning

  • Conceptual representation

  • Symbolic representation

  • High cognitive effort required

  • Rule-based; follows logical rules

  • Deliberative; involves careful thought

  • Abstract reasoning; detached from specific contexts

  • Associated with normative reasoning

  • Referred to as System 2

The Wason Selection Task (Wason, 1966)

• Concept: A fundamental task to test deductive reasoning skills.

• Description of the Task:

  • Four cards presented: A, D, 3, 7.

  • Each card has a letter on one side and a single-digit number on the other side.

  • The rule: “If there is an A on one side of the card, then there is a 3 on the other side.”

  • Task for participants: Identify cards that must be turned over to verify if the rule is true or false.

• Findings:

  • Majority of participants chose the A card, some also selected the A and 3 card.

  • Correct logical option: Select the A card and the 7 card (to disprove the rule).

  • Result: Only 10% of participants answered correctly.

  • Note: Less abstract and more realistic scenarios increase the correct responses.

Conditional Inference

• Key Valid Arguments:

  1. Modus Ponens:

  • Formulation: If p then q; p therefore q

  1. Modus Tollens:

  • Formulation: If p then q; not q therefore not p

• Fallacies:

  • Denial of the Antecedent: If p then q; not p therefore not q

  • Affirmation of the Consequent: If p then q; q therefore p

Belief Bias

• Definition:

  • “Belief bias is the tendency to judge the validity of a logical argument on the basis of whether one agrees with the conclusion.”

Working Memory

• Definition:

  • Working memory is described as a single, central resource with limited capacity, relevant for cognitive tasks.

  • In the context of dual-process theory, type 2 processing engages and taxes working memory, while type 1 does not.

• Illustration of Working Memory in Reasoning:

  • Example Statement: “If an animal is a dog, then it has a tail.”

  • Type 1 response: Quick affirmation without effort.

  • Type 2 response: Reflective consideration, leading to potential rejection of the statement when considering exceptions (counterexamples), which requires working memory and leads to slower processing.

Fallacies in the Received View of Dual-Process Theory

• Fallacy 1: All dual-process theories are essentially the same.

• Fallacy 2: The existence of just two systems for type 1 and type 2 reasoning (referring to the two-minds hypothesis, Evans 2010).

• Fallacy 3: Type 1 processes are solely responsible for cognitive biases while type 2 processes result in normatively correct responses.

• Fallacy 4: Type 1 processing is contextualized, while type 2 processing is purely abstract.

• Fallacy 5: Fast processing is indicative of using a type 1 process over a type 2 process.