Cognitive Reflection Test System 1 vs. System 2 Thinking 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In the classic bat-and-ball problem, the intuitive but wrong answer of 10 cents comes from:
- System 1 (Correct answer)
- System 2
- Long-term memory
- Sensory perception
Correct answer: System 1
The tempting 10-cent answer is generated automatically by System 1 before reflection.
Question 2: Which activity is most likely to require sustained System 2 effort?
- Filling out a complex tax form (Correct answer)
- Understanding a simple sentence
- Detecting hostility in a voice
- Driving on an empty road
Correct answer: Filling out a complex tax form
Complex forms demand focused, deliberate attention characteristic of System 2.
Question 3: When System 2 is busy (cognitively loaded), people tend to:
- Rely more heavily on System 1 intuitions (Correct answer)
- Become more analytical
- Stop making any decisions
- Solve problems more accurately
Correct answer: Rely more heavily on System 1 intuitions
Cognitive load reduces System 2 monitoring, so intuitive System 1 responses dominate.
Question 4: The term 'heuristic' as used in dual-process theory refers to:
- A mental shortcut for quick judgments (Correct answer)
- A formal logical proof
- A memory storage system
- A type of brain scan
Correct answer: A mental shortcut for quick judgments
Heuristics are rule-of-thumb shortcuts that System 1 uses to make fast judgments.
Question 5: Which is a typical feature of System 2 rather than System 1?
- Following rules and comparing options deliberately (Correct answer)
- Reacting with instant fear
- Reading words on a billboard automatically
- Completing the phrase 'bread and...'
Correct answer: Following rules and comparing options deliberately
Deliberate rule-following and comparison are hallmark System 2 operations.
Question 6: Priming effects, where a prior word influences your response, mostly operate through:
- System 1's automatic associations (Correct answer)
- System 2's logical checks
- Conscious calculation
- Deliberate memorization
Correct answer: System 1's automatic associations
Priming works via automatic, associative processes governed by System 1.
Question 7: A person who scores high on the Cognitive Reflection Test is generally better at:
- Overriding intuitive errors with reflection (Correct answer)
- Reacting quickly to sudden noises
- Memorizing long lists
- Recognizing faces faster
Correct answer: Overriding intuitive errors with reflection
High CRT scorers reliably pause to correct tempting but wrong intuitive answers.
Cognitive Reflection Test System 1 vs. System 2 Thinking 3
In the classic bat-and-ball problem, the intuitive but wrong answer of 10 cents comes from: