Information Processing and Constraint Satisfaction in Wason’s Selection Task

Emmanuel Genot

Information Processing and Constraint Satisfaction in Wason’s Selection Task

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Paper in conference proceeding › peer-review

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Abstract

In Wason’s Selection Task, subjects: (i) process information from the instructions and build a mental representation of the problem, then: (ii) select a course of action to solve the problem,under the constraints imposed by the instructions. We analyze both aspects as part of a constraint satisfaction problem without assuming Wason’s ‘logical’ solution to be the correct one. We show that outcome of step (i) may induce mutually inconsistent constraints, causing subjects to select at step (ii) solutions that violate some of them. Our analysis explains why inconsistent constraints are
less likely disrupt non-abstract (or “thematic”) versions of the tasks, but unlike Bayesians does not posit different mechanisms in abstract and thematic variants. We then assess the logicality of the
task, and conclude on cognitive tasks as coordination problems

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Cognition, reasoning, emotion, Action. CogSc-12. Proceedings of the ILCLI International Workshop on Cognitive Science.
Editors	Jesus M. Larrazabal
Publisher	University of the Basque Country Press
Pages	153-162
ISBN (Print)	978-84-9860-746-8
Publication status	Published - 2012
Event	CogSc-12 ILCLI International Workshop on Cognitive Science - Donostia - San Sebastian Duration: 2012 Nov 28 → …

Conference

Conference	CogSc-12 ILCLI International Workshop on Cognitive Science
Period	2012/11/28 → …

Subject classification (UKÄ)

Philosophy

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2 Paper, not in proceeding

A Computational Model of Wason's Selection Task
Genot, E., 2013, (Accepted/In press).
Research output: Contribution to conference › Paper, not in proceeding › peer-review
Fast and Loose: Interpreting Wason's Selection Task (Part I: The Descriptive Case)
Genot, E. & Pärnamets, P., 2013, (Unpublished).
Research output: Contribution to conference › Paper, not in proceeding › peer-review

Cite this

@inproceedings{8ffc1aed77e14ed59a4a0d405b14e327,

title = "Information Processing and Constraint Satisfaction in Wason{\textquoteright}s Selection Task",

abstract = "In Wason{\textquoteright}s Selection Task, subjects: (i) process information from the instructions and build a mental representation of the problem, then: (ii) select a course of action to solve the problem,under the constraints imposed by the instructions. We analyze both aspects as part of a constraint satisfaction problem without assuming Wason{\textquoteright}s {\textquoteleft}logical{\textquoteright} solution to be the correct one. We show that outcome of step (i) may induce mutually inconsistent constraints, causing subjects to select at step (ii) solutions that violate some of them. Our analysis explains why inconsistent constraints are less likely disrupt non-abstract (or “thematic”) versions of the tasks, but unlike Bayesians does not posit different mechanisms in abstract and thematic variants. We then assess the logicality of the task, and conclude on cognitive tasks as coordination problems",

author = "Emmanuel Genot",

year = "2012",

language = "English",

isbn = "978-84-9860-746-8",

pages = "153--162",

editor = "Larrazabal, {Jesus M.}",

booktitle = "Cognition, reasoning, emotion, Action. CogSc-12. Proceedings of the ILCLI International Workshop on Cognitive Science.",

publisher = "University of the Basque Country Press",

note = "CogSc-12 ILCLI International Workshop on Cognitive Science ; Conference date: 28-11-2012",

}

Information Processing and Constraint Satisfaction in Wason’s Selection Task. / Genot, Emmanuel.
Cognition, reasoning, emotion, Action. CogSc-12. Proceedings of the ILCLI International Workshop on Cognitive Science.. ed. / Jesus M. Larrazabal. University of the Basque Country Press, 2012. p. 153-162.

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Paper in conference proceeding › peer-review

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AU - Genot, Emmanuel

PY - 2012

Y1 - 2012

N2 - In Wason’s Selection Task, subjects: (i) process information from the instructions and build a mental representation of the problem, then: (ii) select a course of action to solve the problem,under the constraints imposed by the instructions. We analyze both aspects as part of a constraint satisfaction problem without assuming Wason’s ‘logical’ solution to be the correct one. We show that outcome of step (i) may induce mutually inconsistent constraints, causing subjects to select at step (ii) solutions that violate some of them. Our analysis explains why inconsistent constraints are less likely disrupt non-abstract (or “thematic”) versions of the tasks, but unlike Bayesians does not posit different mechanisms in abstract and thematic variants. We then assess the logicality of the task, and conclude on cognitive tasks as coordination problems

AB - In Wason’s Selection Task, subjects: (i) process information from the instructions and build a mental representation of the problem, then: (ii) select a course of action to solve the problem,under the constraints imposed by the instructions. We analyze both aspects as part of a constraint satisfaction problem without assuming Wason’s ‘logical’ solution to be the correct one. We show that outcome of step (i) may induce mutually inconsistent constraints, causing subjects to select at step (ii) solutions that violate some of them. Our analysis explains why inconsistent constraints are less likely disrupt non-abstract (or “thematic”) versions of the tasks, but unlike Bayesians does not posit different mechanisms in abstract and thematic variants. We then assess the logicality of the task, and conclude on cognitive tasks as coordination problems

M3 - Paper in conference proceeding

SN - 978-84-9860-746-8

SP - 153

EP - 162

BT - Cognition, reasoning, emotion, Action. CogSc-12. Proceedings of the ILCLI International Workshop on Cognitive Science.

A2 - Larrazabal, Jesus M.

PB - University of the Basque Country Press

T2 - CogSc-12 ILCLI International Workshop on Cognitive Science

Y2 - 28 November 2012

ER -

Information Processing and Constraint Satisfaction in Wason’s Selection Task

Abstract

Conference

Subject classification (UKÄ)

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Research output

A Computational Model of Wason's Selection Task

Fast and Loose: Interpreting Wason's Selection Task (Part I: The Descriptive Case)

Cite this