Perspectives on Psychological Science· 2013Q1· Review
Dual-Process Theories of Higher Cognition
- 4,104citations
- Q1SCImago
- 2013year
Short summary
Dual-process theories, positing distinct rapid (Type 1) and deliberate (Type 2) cognitive systems, are defended against recent criticisms by arguing that the distinction is supported by substantial evidence, with Type 2 processing uniquely supporting hypothetical thinking and heavy working memory load.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Key points
- Dual-process theories are not a monolithic category and criticisms often mischaracterize them.
- The distinction between rapid (Type 1) and deliberate (Type 2) processing is supported by current cognitive science evidence.
- Type 2 processing is uniquely defined by its support for hypothetical thinking.
- Type 2 processing is heavily dependent on working memory capacity.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Abstract
Dual-process and dual-system theories in both cognitive and social psychology have been subjected to a number of recently published criticisms. However, they have been attacked as a category, incorrectly assuming there is a generic version that applies to all. We identify and respond to 5 main lines of argument made by such critics. We agree that some of these arguments have force against some of the theories in the literature but believe them to be overstated. We argue that the dual-processing distinction is supported by much recent evidence in cognitive science. Our preferred theoretical approach is one in which rapid autonomous processes (Type 1) are assumed to yield default responses unless intervened on by distinctive higher order reasoning processes (Type 2). What defines the difference is that Type 2 processing supports hypothetical thinking and load heavily on working memory.
The authors' abstract, as published at the source. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 2013 · DOI ↗
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Field: Cognitive Neuroscience
Cognitive NeuroscienceNeuroscience