The Effects of Working Memory and Probability Format on Bayesian Reasoning
Bayesian reasoning is common and critical in everyday life while the performance on Bayesian reasoning is rather poor. Previous studies showed that people could enhance their performance by applying cognitive resources under the natural frequency format condition. Working memory is one of the crucia...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2020-05-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00863/full |
| _version_ | 1828179793480253440 |
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| author | Lin Yin Zifu Shi Zixiang Liao Ting Tang Yuntian Xie Shun Peng |
| author_facet | Lin Yin Zifu Shi Zixiang Liao Ting Tang Yuntian Xie Shun Peng |
| author_sort | Lin Yin |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Bayesian reasoning is common and critical in everyday life while the performance on Bayesian reasoning is rather poor. Previous studies showed that people could enhance their performance by applying cognitive resources under the natural frequency format condition. Working memory is one of the crucial cognitive resources in the reasoning process. However, the role of working memory on Bayesian reasoning remains unclear. In our study, we verified the effect of working memory on Bayesian reasoning by evaluating the performance of participants with high and low working memory span (WMS); we also investigated if working memory as a kind of cognitive resource can affect Bayesian reasoning performance by manipulating the cognitive load in a dual-task paradigm among participants with no-, low-, and high-loads. We found the following: (1) The Bayesian reasoning performance of high WMS participants was significantly higher than that of low WMS participants. (2) Performance under natural frequency condition was noticeably higher than that in standard probability condition. (3) Interaction between working memory and probability format was significant, and the performance of participants with high-load in natural frequency condition was higher when compared to those of participants with no- and low-load. Therefore, we can conclude that: (1) Working memory resource is a major factor in Bayesian reasoning. The performance of Bayesian reasoning is influenced by working memory span and working memory load. (2) A Bayesian facilitation effect exists, and replacing the standard probability format with a natural frequency format can significantly improve Bayesian performance. (3) Bayesian facilitation occurs only in participants with sufficient working memory resources. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T05:35:24Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3b4c9a6339554e379dfe72aca6f59cf6 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T05:35:24Z |
| publishDate | 2020-05-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-3b4c9a6339554e379dfe72aca6f59cf62022-12-22T03:45:53ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782020-05-011110.3389/fpsyg.2020.00863469001The Effects of Working Memory and Probability Format on Bayesian ReasoningLin Yin0Zifu Shi1Zixiang Liao2Ting Tang3Yuntian Xie4Shun Peng5Cognition and Human Behavior Key Laboratory of Hunan Province, School of Educational Science, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, ChinaCognition and Human Behavior Key Laboratory of Hunan Province, School of Educational Science, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, ChinaCognition and Human Behavior Key Laboratory of Hunan Province, School of Educational Science, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, ChinaCognition and Human Behavior Key Laboratory of Hunan Province, School of Educational Science, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, ChinaCognition and Human Behavior Key Laboratory of Hunan Province, School of Educational Science, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, ChinaSchool of Psychology, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, ChinaBayesian reasoning is common and critical in everyday life while the performance on Bayesian reasoning is rather poor. Previous studies showed that people could enhance their performance by applying cognitive resources under the natural frequency format condition. Working memory is one of the crucial cognitive resources in the reasoning process. However, the role of working memory on Bayesian reasoning remains unclear. In our study, we verified the effect of working memory on Bayesian reasoning by evaluating the performance of participants with high and low working memory span (WMS); we also investigated if working memory as a kind of cognitive resource can affect Bayesian reasoning performance by manipulating the cognitive load in a dual-task paradigm among participants with no-, low-, and high-loads. We found the following: (1) The Bayesian reasoning performance of high WMS participants was significantly higher than that of low WMS participants. (2) Performance under natural frequency condition was noticeably higher than that in standard probability condition. (3) Interaction between working memory and probability format was significant, and the performance of participants with high-load in natural frequency condition was higher when compared to those of participants with no- and low-load. Therefore, we can conclude that: (1) Working memory resource is a major factor in Bayesian reasoning. The performance of Bayesian reasoning is influenced by working memory span and working memory load. (2) A Bayesian facilitation effect exists, and replacing the standard probability format with a natural frequency format can significantly improve Bayesian performance. (3) Bayesian facilitation occurs only in participants with sufficient working memory resources.https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00863/fullworking memoryprobability formatBayesian reasoningdual-processcognitive resource |
| spellingShingle | Lin Yin Zifu Shi Zixiang Liao Ting Tang Yuntian Xie Shun Peng The Effects of Working Memory and Probability Format on Bayesian Reasoning Frontiers in Psychology working memory probability format Bayesian reasoning dual-process cognitive resource |
| title | The Effects of Working Memory and Probability Format on Bayesian Reasoning |
| title_full | The Effects of Working Memory and Probability Format on Bayesian Reasoning |
| title_fullStr | The Effects of Working Memory and Probability Format on Bayesian Reasoning |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Effects of Working Memory and Probability Format on Bayesian Reasoning |
| title_short | The Effects of Working Memory and Probability Format on Bayesian Reasoning |
| title_sort | effects of working memory and probability format on bayesian reasoning |
| topic | working memory probability format Bayesian reasoning dual-process cognitive resource |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00863/full |
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