► We substantiate a model of metacognitive monitoring and control in reasoning and decision-making. ► The fluency of generation determines the strength of the Feeling of Rightness for a decision. ► ...The strength of the Feeling of Rightness determines degree and type of subsequent analysis. ► Reasoning biasses may be confidently held because they are fluently retrieved. ► We integrate literatures on metacognition, confidence, and Dual Process Theories of reasoning.
Dual Process Theories (DPT) of reasoning posit that judgments are mediated by both fast, automatic processes and more deliberate, analytic ones. A critical, but unanswered question concerns the issue of monitoring and control: When do reasoners rely on the first, intuitive output and when do they engage more effortful thinking? We hypothesised that initial, intuitive answers are accompanied by a metacognitive experience, called the Feeling of Rightness (FOR), which can signal when additional analysis is needed. In separate experiments, reasoners completed one of four tasks: conditional reasoning (
N
=
60), a three-term variant of conditional reasoning (
N
=
48), problems used to measure base rate neglect (
N
=
128), or a syllogistic reasoning task (
N
=
64). For each task, participants were instructed to provide an initial, intuitive response to the problem along with an assessment of the rightness of that answer (FOR). They were then allowed as much time as needed to reconsider their initial answer and provide a final answer. In each experiment, we observed a robust relationship between the FOR and two measures of analytic thinking: low FOR was associated with longer rethinking times and an increased probability of answer change. In turn, FOR judgments were consistently predicted by the fluency with which the initial answer was produced, providing a link to the wider literature on metamemory. These data support a model in which a metacognitive judgment about a first, initial model determines the extent of analytic engagement.
► Applied metacognitive analysis to explain reliance on intuitive vs analytic modes of thinking. ► Examined two fluency heuristics as the basis of metacognitive judgments in reasoning. ► Answer ...fluency reliably predicted metacognitive judgments, which predicted analytic thinking. ► Failed to replicate Alter, Oppenheimer, Epley, and Eyre (2007) that perceptual disfluency prompts correct answers. ► Except among those of high cognitive ability.
Although widely studied in other domains, relatively little is known about the metacognitive processes that monitor and control behaviour during reasoning and decision-making. In this paper, we examined the conditions under which two fluency cues are used to monitor initial reasoning: answer fluency, or the speed with which the initial, intuitive answer is produced (Thompson, Prowse Turner, & Pennycook, 2011), and perceptual fluency, or the ease with which problems can be read (Alter, Oppenheimer, Epley, & Eyre, 2007). The first two experiments demonstrated that answer fluency reliably predicted Feeling of Rightness (FOR) judgments to conditional inferences and base rate problems, which subsequently predicted the amount of deliberate processing as measured by thinking time and answer changes; answer fluency also predicted retrospective confidence judgments (Experiment 3b). Moreover, the effect of answer fluency on reasoning was independent from the effect of perceptual fluency, establishing that these are empirically independent constructs. In five experiments with a variety of reasoning problems similar to those of Alter et al. (2007), we found no effect of perceptual fluency on FOR, retrospective confidence or accuracy; however, we did observe that participants spent more time thinking about hard to read stimuli, although this additional time did not result in answer changes. In our final two experiments, we found that perceptual disfluency increased accuracy on the CRT (Frederick, 2005), but only amongst participants of high cognitive ability. As Alter et al.’s samples were gathered from prestigious universities, collectively, the data to this point suggest that perceptual fluency prompts additional processing in general, but this processing may results in higher accuracy only for the most cognitively able.
In this article, I consider how the epistemic problem of religious disagreement has been viewed within the Islamic tradition. Specifically, I consider two religious epistemological trends within the ...tradition: Islamic Rationalism and Islamic Traditionalism. In examining the approaches of both trends toward addressing the epistemic problem, I suggest that neither is wholly adequate. Nonetheless, I argue that both approaches offer insights that might be relevant to building a more adequate response. So, I attempt to combine insights from both by drawing a distinction between inferential and noninferential reflective responsibility. Given this distinction, I argue that it may be possible for a theist to remain steadfast in upholding their tradition-specific theistic belief, without having to hold that belief by way of inference; but nevertheless, having to be sufficiently reflectively responsible in forming their theistic belief noninferentially.
Episodic future thinking (EFT), an intervention involving mental simulation of future events, has been shown to reduce both delay discounting and cigarette self-administration. In the present study, ...we extended these findings by showing that EFT in a web-based sample of smokers reduces delay discounting and intensity of demand for cigarettes (ad libitum consumption) in a hypothetical purchase task. No effect was observed on elasticity of demand (sensitivity to price) or cigarette craving. We also explored whether demand characteristics (specifically, the “good-subject” effect) might be responsible for observed effects. EFT participants were significantly better able than control participants to discern the experimental hypothesis. However, EFT participants were not better than controls at identifying whether they had been assigned to the experimental group and, likewise, showed no differences in attitudes about the experiment and experimenter. Importantly, effects of EFT on delay discounting and demand remained significant even when controlling for measures of demand characteristics, indicating that EFT’s effects are independent of participants’ perceptions about the experiment.
Reformed Epistemology (RE) is roughly "the thesis that religious belief can be rational without arguments." To a large extent RE is centered on a rejection of the evidentialist objection to theism. ...Let the evidentialist objection be the thesis that one can only hold proposition p, namely that God exists, justifiably if and only if one supplies evidence E in support of p. Assuming one does not have E, it follows that one would be unjustified in upholding p. Advocates of RE, against this objection, hold that belief in God can be justified without recourse to propositional evidence. Alvin Plantinga, RE's prime proponent, has argued on the basis of what he coins the Aquinas-Calvin (or A/C) model that theistic belief can be properly basic with respect to warrant.
Background
Substance use recovery is a dynamic process. Relapse, often part of the recovery process, is a persistent problem for individuals seeking freedom from their harmful substance use and has ...become a focus of research on the improvement of recovery outcomes. Delay discounting is associated with substance use disorder severity, both its negative outcomes and the propensity to relapse. However, the association between delay discounting and perceived risk of relapse as measured by the Alcohol Warning of Relapse Questionnaire has not previously been examined in a population of individuals in long‐term recovery from substance misuse.
Methods
In this study, using data collected from the International Quit and Recovery Registry, we investigated the association between delay discounting, self‐reported time in recovery, and perceived risk of relapse. Data from 193 individuals self‐reporting to be in recovery from harmful substance use were included in the study.
Results
Delay discounting rates were significantly negatively associated with length of recovery (p = 0.036) and positively with perceived risk of relapse (p = 0.027) even after controlling for age, gender, education, marital status, ethnicity, race, primary substance, and length in the registry. Moreover, a mediation analysis using Hayes’ methods revealed that the association between the length of recovery and perceived relapse risk was partially mediated by delay discounting, accounting for 21.2% of the effect.
Conclusions
Our finding supports previous characterizations of delay discounting as a candidate behavioral marker of substance misuse and may help to identify individuals at higher perceived risk of relapse in an extended recovery population.
•The temporal window is a potential underlying mechanism for substance use disorder.•Episodic future thinking decreases discount rates and demand for cocaine.•The Experimental Medicine Approach may ...promote substance use intervention development.
The Experimental Medicine Approach offers a unique perspective to determine clinical behavior change by engaging a target underlying the cause of a disorder. The present work engaged a novel target of addiction, Reinforcer Pathology, in two studies to test changes in behavior among individuals with cocaine use disorder.
In Study 1, n = 44 participants engaged the temporal window with episodic future thinking (EFT), a positive prospection exercise. Changes in temporal view and cocaine valuation were tested using delay discounting and behavioral economic demand, respectively. Additionally, a computational model assessed the relative reliance on the near- and far-sighted systems during EFT. In Study 2, n = 71 engaged the temporal window with a negatively-valenced hurricane scenario to test the opposite effects on window length and cocaine valuation.
Results demonstrated systematic and symmetrical engagement of the behavioral target. Study 1 robustly replicated previous work, wherein EFT lengthened the temporal window and decreased cocaine valuation. Moreover, EFT increased the weighting of the modeled far-sighted system, increasing the relative impact of long-term discounting decisions. Study 2 produced opposite outcomes, shortened temporal window and increased cocaine valuation.
This approximately equal and opposite reaction to the manipulations supports reinforcer pathology theory and implicates the temporal window over which rewards are valued as a target to be pushed and pulled to produce clinically meaningful behavior change. Using the Experimental Medicine Approach as a guide, future work should identify new potential interventions to engage reinforcer pathology and use the clinically relevant outcomes as a litmus test for mechanism.
Reinforcer pathology is derived from the integration of two measures: (a) self-control (i.e., delay discounting), and (b) reward valuation (i.e., behavioral economic demand). Narrative theory asserts ...that vividly imagining oneself in a hypothetical, yet realistic, scenario can acutely alter decision making, valuation of reinforcers such as food, and how much food is consumed. The present study measured changes in reinforcer pathology for highly palatable snacks following either a negative or neutral scenario in obese individuals. Participants (N = 48), with a body mass index of 30 or greater, rated their liking of 7 calorie-dense snack items and completed discounting and purchase demand tasks for their top-rated snack. Participants then read a randomly assigned hypothetical scenario (i.e., a devastating hurricane negative or minor storm neutral), completed the tasks again, and were given ad libitum access to their top 3 ranked snack foods. Results indicated that delay discounting, demand for participants' top-rated snack food, and negative affect all increased in the hurricane group compared with the minor storm group. The hurricane group also consumed more calories, even when hunger was standardized with a preload meal bar. Consistent with reinforcer pathology, these results suggest that vivid consideration of a devastating scenario constricts the temporal window and increases demand for hedonic snack foods among obese individuals.
ObjectivesPotentially harmful non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) utilisation persists at undesirable rates worldwide. The purpose of this paper is to review the literature on ...interventions to de-implement potentially harmful NSAIDs in healthcare settings and to suggest directions for future research.DesignScoping review.Data sourcesPubMed, CINAHL, Embase, Cochrane Central and Google Scholar (1 January 2000 to 31 May 2022).Study selectionStudies reporting on the effectiveness of interventions to systematically reduce potentially harmful NSAID utilisation in healthcare settings.Data extractionUsing Covidence systematic review software, we extracted study and intervention characteristics, including the effectiveness of interventions in reducing NSAID utilisation.ResultsFrom 7818 articles initially identified, 68 were included in the review. Most studies took place in European countries (45.6%) or the USA (35.3%), with randomised controlled trial as the most common design (55.9%). Interventions were largely clinician-facing (76.2%) and delivered in primary care (60.2%) but were rarely (14.9%) guided by an implementation model, framework or theory. Academic detailing, clinical decision support or electronic medical record interventions, performance reports and pharmacist review were frequent approaches employed. NSAID use was most commonly classified as potentially harmful based on patients’ age (55.8%), history of gastrointestinal disorders (47.1%), or history of kidney disease (38.2%). Only 7.4% of interventions focused on over-the-counter (OTC) NSAIDs in addition to prescription. The majority of studies (76.2%) reported a reduction in the utilisation of potentially harmful NSAIDs. Few studies (5.9%) evaluated pain or quality of life following NSAIDs discontinuation.ConclusionMany varied interventions to de-implement potentially harmful NSAIDs have been applied in healthcare settings worldwide. Based on these findings and identified knowledge gaps, further efforts to comprehensively evaluate the effectiveness of interventions and the combination of intervention characteristics associated with effective de-implementation are needed. In addition, future work should be guided by de-implementation theory, focus on OTC NSAIDs and incorporate patient-focused strategies and outcomes, including the evaluation of unintended consequences of the intervention.
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