Balance in Systems 1 and 2 When Informing Decision-Makers

Most of us relate to and have heard of the concepts of ‘judging a book by its cover’, the value of ‘first impressions’, ‘trust your gut’, and ‘go with your instinct’. However, few of us can fully verbalize how exactly we arrive at certain assumptions within this capacity. The books "Thinking, Fast and Slow" by Daniel Kahneman and "Blink" by Malcolm Gladwell both dive into the complexities of intuition and fast decision-making. According to Kahneman, System 1 and System 2 are the two operating systems of our brain. System 1 is what keeps us alive as it is our survival instinct. We process data very quickly and seem to pick up on verbal, extralinguistic context, or gather data from our other senses such as smell or taste. It does this subconsciously to arrive at an aggregate assessment. By contrast, System 2 is our logical and slower system which relies on a methodical approach. Though System 2 involves other senses too, it is done so more deliberately and with our awareness. Gladwell's Thin Slicing approach adds to this by emphasizing our subconscious propensity to make quick, sometimes accurate decisions based on limited information. Thin Slicing is when unconscious ideas find patterns in thin slices of experience (Penn, 2019). Both writers offer insightful perspectives on the interplay of intuition and analysis in our decision-making processes.

Whether someone gives you a good impression or a bad vibe, it is an example of System 1 thinking. System 2 is clearly demonstrated when we read, process, or evaluate data and reach a conclusion. Both play a crucial role in data analysis, emphasizing the two systems at work within our brains. Tay et al. (2016) used a Cognitive Reflection Test (CRT) to compare the level of Systems 1 and 2 thinking among medical students in pre-clinical and clinical programs in a study. It was concluded that up to half of the medical students relied entirely or partially on System 1. While their CRT score makes no predictions about their future clinical skill, it may be used to help students learn the necessity of awareness and management of their thought processes in clinical practice (Tay et al., 2016). How well System 1 serves us depends on how often we cross-reference it with System 2. System 1 thinking may easily introduce biases into assumptions when we make judgments about others or give advice. These prejudices are frequently caused by our reliance on lived experiences. In the context of Second Language Acquisition (SLA), this is defined as miscue analysis (Liontas, 2007). Applied to a broader sense, miscue analysis may lead to not only biases but significant mistakes. Raising our consciousness helps us recognize these biases and make more balanced decisions (Kamboj, 2023). Making a complete assessment involves our consciousness, lived experiences, and biases.

Finally, the concepts of intuition and quick decision-making are complex and deeply ingrained in our cognitive processes. The books "Thinking, Fast and Slow" by Daniel Kahneman and "Blink" by Malcolm Gladwell both shed light on System 1 and System 2 thinking in our brains. System 1, which is fueled by intuition and fast pattern recognition, is critical in forming first impressions and gut feelings, as demonstrated when we judge others based on first impressions. When we engage in deliberate data processing and logical reasoning, System 2, the slower, analytical counterpart, comes into play. These two systems are critical for data analysis and presenting an assessment, emphasizing the significance of balancing their strengths and minimizing biases. It is critical, however, to recognize that unchecked System 1 thinking can introduce biases and potential errors. Understanding and managing the interaction between these two systems is therefore critical when advising decision-makers.

References

Kamboj, S. (2023). Are you a Conscious Decision Maker? Or is your Decision-Making Unconscious? https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/you-conscious-decision-maker-your-decision-making-sameer-kamboj/?utm_source=rss&utm_campaign=articles_sitemaps

Liontas, J. I. (2007). The Eye Never Sees What the Brain Understands: Making Sense of Idioms in Second Languages. Lingua et Linguistica, 22.

Penn, A. (2019, August 30). Thin Slicing: How to Make Smart Decisions, Fast. Shortform Books. https://www.shortform.com/blog/thin-slicing-malcolm-gladwell-blink/

Tay, S. W., Ryan, P., & Ryan, C. A. (2016). Systems 1 and 2 Thinking Processes and Cognitive Reflection Testing in Medical Students.