Barriers to Reasoning
Lack of Critical Thinking Skills and
Statistical Training
Imagine that you are presented with three envelopes A, B, C. Only
one of the envelopes has a $100 bill in it. You select one of them.
You are then told that one of the remaining two envelopes does
not contain the $100 bill and that envelope is shown to you. Now,
you and the other person hold an envelope, one of which contains
the $100 bill. In your opinion, should you keep the envelope you
chose or switch to the other envelope that could potentially contain
the $100 bill?
Lack of Critical Thinking Skills and
Statistical Training
Imagine that you are a golfer of above-average ability and that you
have the opportunity to play the greatest golfer in the world. If you
want to maximize your chance of winning the total round, how
much golf would you elect to play, given the choices of 1, 18, 36,
or 72 holes?
Lack of Critical Thinking Skills and
Statistical Training
A certain town is served by two hospitals. In the larger hospital about 45
babies are born each day, and in the smaller hospital about 15 babies are
born each day. Although the overall proportion of boys is about 50 percent,
the actual proportion at either hospital may be greater or less than 50
percent on any day. At the end of a year, which hospital will have the
greater number of days on which more than 60 percent of the babies born
were boys?
(a) the larger hospital
(b) the smaller hospital
(c) neither - the number of days will be about the same
Sample Size and Availability Heuristics
1. A person argues that cigarette smoking is not unhealthy because his
grandfather smoked three packs of cigarettes a day and lived to be
100.
2. A politician says that walnut farmers need a special farm subsidy. He
points to a farmer standing nearby and explains how that farmer will
benefit. Others who watch and discuss later agree that the subsidy is
needed based on the benefit to that farmer.
3. A person claims to a group of friends that drivers of red cars get more
speeding tickets. The group agrees with the statement because a
member of the group, "Jim," drives a red car and frequently gets
speeding tickets.
Cognitive Dissonance and the
Justification Effect
Participants' Post-experiment
Enjoyment Ratings
25
20
15
10
5
0
No lie $20 $1
Justification
• Justify behavior
• Justifying a free choice
• Justify effort (of a decision)
Perseverance of Belief
Intelligence
Name Nationality Life Pursuits IQ
J. W. von Goethe Germany Poet/Writer. Universal genius 210
Emanuel Swedenborg Sweden Religious writer. Universal genius 205
G. W. von Leibniz Germany Philosopher, mathematician 205
John Stuart Mill England Phil.,Economist, Pol. Theorist 200
Blaise Pascal France Math., physicist, religious thinker 195
Ludwig Wittgenstein Austria Philosopher 190
Bobby Fischer U.S.A. Chess player 187
Galileo Galilei Italy Physicist, astronomer, phil. 185
René Descartes France Philosopher, mathematician 180
Madame De Stael France Novelist, political philosopher 180
Immanuel Kant Germany Philosopher 175
Linus Carl Pauling U.S.A. Chemist - Nobel Prize (2) 170
Sofia Kovalevskaya Russia Mathematician, writer 170
Olof Palme Sweden Prime Minister (murdered) 170
Thomas Chatterton England Poet, writer 170
Charles Darwin England Naturalist 165
W. Amadeus Mozart Austria Composer 165
George Eliot England Writer - Close friend to J.S. Mill 160
Nicolaus Copernicus Poland Cleric, astronomer 160
Rembrandt van Rijn Holland Painter, etcher 155
Nine Points on IQ/Intelligence
1. IQ is associated with simple abilities
2. School attendance correlates with IQ
3. IQ is not influenced by birth order
4. IQ is statistically related to breastfeeding
5. IQ evens out with age
6. IQ is correlated with head size
7. Intelligence can depend on context (but . . .)
8. IQ is increasing
9. IQ is influenced by nutrition
r = .30
Income
Intelligence Scores
Gender Differences
Females
• Verbal fluency
• Remembering words
• Spelling
• More sensitive to touch, taste, odor
• Better emotion detectors
Gender Differences
Females Males
• Verbal fluency • Verbal analogy
• Rapid math calculations • Rapid math reasoning
• Remembering object’s • Remembering
spatial position geometric layouts
G or MI?
Sternberg’s Triarchic Theory
• Analytical – for well defined problems with a single
correct answer.
• Creative – ability to react adaptively to novel
situations and to generate new an innovative ideas
• Practical – everyday tasks, defined by multiple
solutions
Four Branch Model of Emotional Intelligence
• Accurately perceiving emotions in oneself
and others
• Using emotions to facilitate thinking
• Understanding emotional meanings
• Managing emotions
Four Branch Model of Emotional Intelligence
• Accurately perceiving emotions in oneself
and others
Four Branch Model of Emotional Intelligence
• Using emotions to facilitate thinking
Four Branch Model of Emotional Intelligence
• Understanding emotional meanings
Four Branch Model of Emotional Intelligence
• Managing emotions
Who is emotionally intelligent (EI)?
High EI individuals can perceive emotions, use them in
thought, understand their meanings, and manage emotions
better than others. For them, solving emotional problems
requires less cognitive effort. They tend to be somewhat
higher in verbal, social, and other intelligences, particularly if
understanding emotions scores are high. They tend to be
more open and agreeable than others and are drawn to
occupations involving social interactions such as teaching
and counseling more so than to occupations involving
clerical or administrative tasks.
High EI individuals are less apt to engage in problem
behaviors, and avoid self-destructive, negative behaviors.
They are more likely to have possessions of sentimental
attachment and to have more positive social interactions,
particularly if emotional management scores are high. Such
individuals may also be more adept at describing
motivational goals, aims, and missions.
Testing
Mental Ability
Aptitude Intelligence Achievement
WAIS Stanford-Binet
Reliability