Study Questions: Reasoning, Induction, Analogy, Metaphor, and
Blending
Allais (1953) posed a hypothetical pair of decision problems:
Pair 1
Choice P: $1,000 with probability 1 versus
Choice Q: $1,000 with probability .89
$5,000 with probability .10
$0 with probability .01
Pair 2
Choice R: $1,000 with probability .11
$0 with probability .89
Choice S: $5,000 with probability .10
$0 with probability .90
*If people acted in accordance with expected value theory, how would
they choose in each of these two pairs of choices and why?
*How do most people actually choose when given these two choices?
What is a certainty effect?
What is a framing effect? Why are framing effects considered
irrational?
What is the sunk cost fallacy?
How does the pi function in prospect theory explain certainty effects?
What is regret theory and what sorts of effects was it proposed to
explain?
What is the availability heuristic? Describe an experiment or
phenomenon
that suggests people use the availability heuristic in estimating
probability.
What is hindsight bias? Has hindsight bias been established
experimentally?
How are causal schemas used to evaluate the probability of events?
What is anchoring and adjustment? Describe one demonstration of the
use of this heuristic.
Is there any evidence that suggests decision making is related to the
construction of explanations?
What is satisficing? Is it an optimal strategy?
*Is human decision making behavior rational? Formulate one argument
for
rationality (viz. human decision making behavior is rational) and one
argument
against it (human decision making behavior is not rational).
What's the difference between a valid conclusion and a true conclusion?
In a valid argument, could it ever be the case that the premises are
true and the conclusion is false?
What is 'affirming the consequent'? Is it a valid deductive reasoning
strategy? Is it ever a strong inductive reasoning strategy?
What is the structure of the modus ponens argument?
What is the structure of the modus tollens argument?
Do people usually do better on modus ponens or modus tollens?
What are two different (logical) readings for the word "if"? (Be sure
you know the difference between them.)
What is the Wason Selection task? If given a particular selection task,
be sure you can say what choices people are likely to pick to verify a
given rule.
Is the Wason Selection task susceptible to content effects? Explain
why or why not.
What is a categorical syllogism?
What is the atmosphere hypothesis? Describe an atmosphere effect.
Does the atmosphere hypothesis predict the following argument will
be easy or hard for people?
Some B are A.
No C are B.
Therefore, Some A are not C.
Do people find this argument easy or hard (according to Johnson-Laird
and Steedman, 1978)? What does this imply about the atmosphere
hypothesis?
What's the conversion hypothesis?
What is a belief bias effect?
What is a figural effect?
Be sure you understand how models are constructed in the Model Theory
of Syllogistic Reasoning.
According to the model theory, how do people make the judgment that
a particular argument is valid?
How does model theory account for errors in reasoning?
What evidence is there for model theory?
Why do we need constraints on induction?
How do expectations constrain induction? temporal contiguity?
similarity?
frequency? framing?
Do people use categories to constrain induction? Do children use
categories
to constrain induction?
What are 3 constraints on analogical reasoning?
In analogical reasoning, are attributes or structural relations more
important?
If given an analogy, be sure you can list the mappings between the
source and the target analogs.
What is Duncker's radiation (tumor) problem? (Be sure you know the
solution.)
What is schema induction? What evidence is there that schema induction
helps people draw particular analogies?
What aspect of analogical reasoning is most influenced by superficial
similarities between the source and the target?
What aspect of analogical reasoning is most influenced by structural
similarities between the source and the target?
What sort of experimental evidence supports claims about which aspects
of analogical reasoning are most sensitive to superficial versus
structural
similarities between the source and the target?
What's the relationship between metaphor and analogy?
What is a mental space?
What is conceptual blending?
What are the 3 spaces in the primitive waiting room blend discussed
in class?
What is the emergent structure in the "walking time bomb" blend?