Cognitive Reflection and Decision-Making - Coursework Example

Cognitive Reflection and Decision-Making Cognitive Reflection and Decision-Making Introduction Cognitive reflection is a feeling that emanates from a conflict of two thoughts held in a person’s mind at the same time. Dissonance is evident when people embark on activities contrary to their beliefs. Cognitive reflection results in the alteration of people’s attitudes, behaviors, and beliefs. The theory states that human beings have inner drives that hold their beliefs and attitudes in disharmony or harmony (Broadbent, et al. 1982). Thus, people have to carry out actions that steer towards the acquisition of consonance for harmony to prevail. The contemporary society has been struggling to desist from the culture of perceiving and judging situations based on stereotypical beliefs (Friedman & Miyake, 2004). Stereotypical beliefs often relate people or groups of people from different societal backgrounds with their actions to describe their intelligence levels, behavioral characteristics, or even perceptions towards other subjects in their lives (Baer, et al 2006). The evolution of the cognitive reflection has led to the promotion of decisions in diverse orientations; hence, affecting different types of people and their subsequent races, ethnic groups, or sub-cultural divisions, and professions. The study will seek to highlight the influence of the cognitive reflection on the subject of personal identification, and further to describe the media’s relationship to reality and a combination of the three. Relationship of cognitive reflection approach to self-identification The media’s influence in the subject of decision-making is evident through the various materials presented to different groups of audience. For example, television shows present Arabic characters as morons and easily angered for no apparent reason. The decision-making, however, based on racial grounds, is influential to self-identification of the targeted audience (Frederick, 2005). Arguably, viewers are likely to conceive the message without any further trial to establish whether the characteristics presented through television shows depict the nature of all the inhabitants of the stated community. Therefore, the cognitive reflection influences the relationship between decision-making and self-identification by acting as a basis for emphasis on the existence of certain characteristics for different societies; hence, implying that the situation is constant and cannot change whatsoever (Broadbent, et al. 1982). The extent at which the cognitive reflection emphasize that the behavior of related individuals is always similar is a negative effect to self-identification. Arguably, the cognitive reflection ascertains that a particular individual, race, ethnic group, or community indeed depicts similarities in decision-making behaviors whether negative or positive. It is upon the regular exposure to the cognitive reflection that a person affiliated to a particular group, with which the cognitive reflection has been associating to certain behavioral characteristics is likely to find he acting in accordance to the predictions. The cognitive reflection depicts the female gender as destined to perform weaker roles in any of the tasks present in the human society (Friedman & Miyake, 2004). It is upon the regular psychological evaluation approaches that scholars assert cognitive reflection enables decision-making they are incapable of tackling issues with equated competence to their male counterparts. A group of authors namely engaged in an experiment to measure the extent at which the exposure of a particular study sample of women would lead to the self-identification of feminism. The scholars exposed a portion of the sample to positive decision-making platforms through the effect of feminism, and it was after a considerable period that they were able to draw changes from the experiment, which showed the involved characters behaving as feminists and executing ideological decisions related to theory (Eysenck, 2007). On the other hand, the sample group that exposed to negative factors of feminism became repulsive to embracing any of the factors that would make it be associated to the feminism ideology. Hence, the cognitive reflection was used to in influencing the female gender, and each individual in the survey was incapable of acting in accordance to her level of intelligence or rather from a personal perspective since they had acquired convincing information from the cognitive reflection facility concerning their possible identities (Broadbent, et al. 1982). It is vital to understand that decision-making in the cognitive reflection is important in the development of self-esteem amongst individuals with an undignified nature or character; thus, it helps in positive self-identification and success. Relationship of the cognitive reflection theory to decision-making The cognitive reflection is influential to the audience since the information presented through television shows and other programs tames the target audiences to act in a certain pattern. However, challenges may occur in the process of coping and undertaking critical life obligations while trying to interrelate them to those presented by the cognitive reflection. Ideally, most of the programs presented in the cognitive reflection depict actions and fictions; hence, it is hard for an individual’s lifestyle to match such (Baer, et al 2006). The essay portrays how cognitive reflection has enabled people to make wise decisions at the workplace. John, one of the co-workers, loved smoking. After observing him while he was smoking, he showed a feeling of distress. He would sit on his desk for long hours thinking about the alternative action to choose. The observation was that John had a book titled “Runaway from cancer,” which he kept on perusing for long hours. He knew smoking would cause cancer, and the knowledge provoked a conflicting situation in his mind. John tried in his ability to achieve consonance, and this was evident through his struggle to quit the habit. Sometimes he quit smoking for a few days (Frederick, 2005). However, the craving for a cigarette would not let him stop. The motive to maintain a consonance arouses irrational behaviors (Broadbent, et al. 1982). John had to burn the book into ashes to achieve consonance. He also believed that research was yet to explain in depth that smoking caused cancer. One of the workmates would carry some of the office items to her house. She used to say that she was being overworked while the compensation was insufficient. Sometimes she used to argue that there were surplus supplies in the organization. On the contrary, the workmate knew that it was wrong to carry the office supplies home. It was evident through her behavior that she argued to justify her controversial acts, which contravened the company’s rules and regulations. Therefore, she had conflicting thoughts and ideas (Friedman & Miyake, 2004). At last, she justified her action by saying that the poor rate of remuneration compelled her to carry the supplies as a form of compensation. Thus, Cognitive reflection varies depending on the beliefs held by different people towards the implementation of ethical and morally sound decisions (Broadbent, et al. 1982). In addition, people have to change their perceptions, beliefs, and attitudes in order to achieve consonance. Discussion Cognitive reflection is a theory that has stood a great taste of time. Evidently, when one violates these beliefs or principles, the situation of dissonance occurs. To counter this situation, one may decide to attach less importance to the belief or principle and carryout his intended action. Additionally, some people decide to acquire information that encourages them to overcome their beliefs or principles. Other people decide to reduce the importance of the beliefs that conflict their actions (Frederick, 2005). Always remember that a person has to achieve a consonance mood to live a comfortable life. However, studies reveal that the consumption of television shows serves as a controllable measure to the viewers’ perceptions and behavioral characteristics. It is under the influence of such shows that the human society tends to shape their behaviors to coincide with those presented by the cognitive reflection (Eysenck, 2007). The use of romantic manipulation comedies in the cognitive reflection serves as an influential aspect to the viewers’ lives and behaviors since the presented characters seem to be relating their actions to those of the actual society. Arguments indicate that viewers are likely to integrate their normal behaviors to those of the cognitive reflection personalities and romantic comedians under the manipulation approach. However, there are differences in the conception of information and the use of information whenever the experimenting team tries to use condition-bound shows in taming and influencing the same viewers’ behaviors. On the contrary, people who are not in relationships are likely to be repulsive to the ideologies presented through romantic comedies bearing the manipulation characteristic. It is of salient need to bear in mind that reality and the nature of cognitive reflection information are contrasting subjects (Friedman & Miyake, 2004). The improved lifestyles depicted in shows presented to different types of audiences might be influential, but it is under minimal circumstances that the subjects might match. Therefore, the cognitive reflection shows and other informative programs are incompatible to reality and the act of conceiving and trying to act as if embracing the virtual aspects of the cognitive reflection characters the practitioners to unrealistic endings (Baer, et al 2006). Relationship of reality to decision and self-identification The relationship of reality to decision and self-identification in the prevalence of cognitive reflection influence sets a controversial bar of judgments. For instance, the human society is expected to show behavioral patterns that are shaped by natural circumstances, but on the contrary, the subjects of decisions and cognitive reflection influence have compelled people to act in accordance to the social beliefs that they should act in a specific way (Broadbent, et al. 1982). Coincidentally, the advent of globalisation and diversification of communication models has served as an influential tool in tailoring self-identification and decision-making aspects in reference to reality. On the contrary, the expectations adverse into decisions and the inhabitants rest without any obligations other than perceiving the portrayed characteristics and practicing them. It is upon the conception and the practice of such characteristics that the people find their self-identity being borne from cognitive reflection rather than reality. It is ideal to note that reality exists, and people are likely to change their behavioral characteristics in accordance to the present social changes. Further, the relationship between decision-making and self-identification is likely to affect reality in that cultural variations from one community to another imply differences; hence, the inhabitants find themselves obliged to abide by the practices (Eysenck, 2007). The global society’s notion that that certain regions are associated to specific races can be considered as an aspect of decision-making rather reality. The advent of globalisation has led to the immigration of races; hence, people from different races are currently capable of identifying themselves in diverse aspects such as professions and hobbies rather than languages or religions (Broadbent, et al. 1982). The practice renders decision-making and self-identification as rather contrasting rather related variables in reference to the subject of reality. The cognitive reflection presents shows and information that cogitates individuals as vulnerable to their immediate societal practices; thus, it decisions the behavioral outcomes of such individuals (Friedman & Miyake, 2004). On the contrary, a person may hail from a particular social background, and find self-identification from external cultures with which he shows his interest. The evaluation of the cognitive reflection and its effects on decision-making in the modern society is an important approach in finding solutions to ease the prevalence of negative criticisms. The reflection of the cognitive reflection to reality indicates that the society comprises of diverse grouping, and each individual is likely to undertake specific actions to match those portrayed in the cognitive reflection (Frederick, 2005). However, the cognitive reflection can serve to promote positive self-identification aspects through the promotion of positive decisions. Eventually, the future generations will be capable of embracing modern relationships in accordance to the social changes rather than cognitive reflection fictions. References Baer, R. A., Smith, G. T., Hopkins, J., Krietemeyer, J., & Toney, L. (2006). Using self-report assessment methods to explore facets of mindfulness. Assessment, 13(1), 27-45. Broadbent, D. E., Cooper, P. F., FitzGerald, P., & Parkes, K. R. (1982). The cognitive failures questionnaire (CFQ) and its correlates. British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 21(1), 1-16. Eysenck, M. W., Derakshan, N., Santos, R., & Calvo, M. G. (2007). Anxiety and cognitive performance: attentional control theory. Emotion, 7(2), 336. Frederick, S. (2005). Cognitive reflection and decision making. Journal of Economic perspectives, 25-42. Friedman, N. P., & Miyake, A. (2004). The relations among inhibition and interference control functions: a latent-variable analysis. Journal of experimental psychology: General, 133(1), 101. Read More