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The human brain processes information for decision-making using one of two routes: an intuitive system and a rational system (Epstein, 1994; popularized by Kahneman, 2011 as System 1 and System 2, respectively). The intuitive system is quick, impulsive, and operates with minimal effort, relying on emotions or habits to provide cues for what to do next, while the rational system is logical, analytical, deliberate, and methodical. Research in neuropsychology suggests that the brain can only use...
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Three Laboratory Procedures for Assessing Different Manifestations of Impulsivity in Rats
09:12

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Published on: March 17, 2019

Fast thought speed induces risk taking.

Jesse J Chandler1, Emily Pronin

  • 1Department of Psychology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08540, USA. jjchandl@princeton.edu

Psychological Science
|March 8, 2012
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Faster thinking increases risk-taking behavior. Studies show that when people are prompted to think quickly, they are more likely to take financial risks and report intentions for other risky activities.

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Area of Science:

  • Cognitive Psychology
  • Behavioral Economics

Background:

  • Understanding the cognitive factors influencing decision-making is crucial.
  • Risk-taking behavior has significant implications for individual and societal well-being.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the causal relationship between the speed of thought and the propensity for risk-taking.
  • To determine if manipulating cognitive processing speed affects financial and behavioral risk-taking.

Main Methods:

  • Two experiments were conducted to manipulate thought speed.
  • Experiment 1 involved participants reading neutral text at fast or slow paces.
  • Experiment 2 used fast-, medium-, and slow-paced movie clips to induce different thought speeds.

Main Results:

  • Participants induced to think faster took greater financial risks in Experiment 1.
  • Faster thinking correlated with increased self-reported intentions for real-world risky behaviors in Experiment 2.
  • A causal link between faster cognitive processing and heightened risk-taking was established.

Conclusions:

  • Cognitive processing speed is a direct determinant of risk-taking.
  • Interventions aimed at altering thought speed may influence decision-making under uncertainty.
  • Findings contribute to understanding the psychological underpinnings of risky choices.