MABS – READING SUMMARY

Dual-Processing accounts of Reasoning, Judgement and

Social Cognition

Group 2
Abhijit Sahoo – P18035
Ankit Sharma – P18040
Ajay – P18051
Madhur Jain – P18017
Payal Ambade – P18058
Rohan Rawat – P18089
Saahil Hingorani – P18011
Group 2

Dual Processing Accounts of human behaviour has been a complex topic to draw any
coherence from the varying descriptions of it from various authors but is abound in Cognitive
and Social Psychology and all dual-process theories have a common idea of that there are two
different modes of processing namely System 1 (S1) and System 2 (S2) which are
distinguished as unconscious, rapid, automatic and high capacity and then there are others
which are conscious slow and deliberate. There are certain aspects of Dual-process theory:

 Consciousness – The functional definition of consciousness that seems to have arrived

is that S2 network requires access to central working memory system of limited
capacity whereas the S1 does not require it. What we are aware of at a given time is
shown in this working memory, through which in a sequential manner the conscious
thinking flows. The association on conscious thought with such working memory
explains the slow, sequential and low-capacity nature of S2 and also provides
explanation of its connection to individual differences in cognitive ability.
 Age of Evolution – The idea that S1 cognition evolved earlier than S2 is a recurring
theme in Dual-process theory. The conception that S1 cognition is primarily old and
similar to other animals is also errornous because it is almost certainly not one system
with single evolution history as it seems unsustainable to argue that there is just one
form of implicit processing in S1, all of which is primarily old and shared with other
animals. However, although the notion that there are distinct implicit and explicit
memory systems is central to a number of dual-process theories that are considered
and it could well be an error to think of latter as distinctly human in origin. As S1 and
2 incorporate different memory as well as reasoning systems, then it may be a mistake
to assume that any influence of prior knowledge necessarily arises in S1. Goals that
are acquired rapidly through S2, through repeated activation, be installed into rigid
implicit processing mechanisms - a kind of automation of thought.
 Functional Characteristics – S1 processes are concrete, contextualised or domain-
specific and S2 processes are abstract, decontextualized and domain-general. As it
might be probable to say that although abstract reasoning requires use of S2, concrete
contexts do not provide its application. S2 concept is much wider than that of logical
reasoning, including such ideas as inhibitory role (suppressing pragmatic influences
of S1) and ability to get included in hypothetical thought via supposition and mental
stimuli.
Group 2

 Individual Differences – In addition to linking the effectiveness of analytical

reasoning and decision making with general intelligence measures, researchers have
also investigated two close correlates: work memory and age of development. An
important distinction between in the individual differences approach is that between
measures of cognitive capacity and dispositional thinking styles and the gap is
between what people are able to do and what people are inclined to do.

Applications of Dual-process theories in different domains –

 Dual-process theory of reasoning – Dual-process theory has widely been applied to

study of syllogistic reasoning, Watson selection task and conditional interference and
Experimental shreds of evidence have consistently shown that responses are partially
consistent with logic but are also influences by systematic biases such as matching
bias and belief bias. Cognitive models have generally depicted these competing
influence within-participant conflict.
 Dual-process theory of Judgement and Decision making – The evidence for
superiority of unconscious decision making is that people may make better decisions
as measured by normative analysis or by correspondence with expert judgements
when conscious deliberation is prevented by shortage of time or competing tasks and
Dual-process would seem to be implicated when we contrast intuitive judgement with
reflective decision making.
 Dual-process theory of Social Cognition – Although the notion that S2 reasoning may
engage in rationalization as mentioned in cognitive literature, the idea has been
studied more thoroughly in social psychology literature and is driven by the basic
though that although much of our behaviour is unconsciously controlled, we don’t
know this fact and may live with an understanding that we are much more in control
of our behaviour than we actually are and on this view, we observe and theorise about
our own social behaviour in much the same way as we attempt to perceive and
understand the behaviour of others.

In conclusion, although dual-process theories enjoy good support in number of fields of

psychology, the notion that they are all related to the same underlying two systems of
cognition is probably mistaken is superficially attractive, at least in the way that S1 and S2
are being defined in the present form.