The ‘Two-Minds’ Model (2024)

Intuition in Business

Eugene Sadler-Smith

Published:

2023

Online ISBN:

9780191914447

Print ISBN:

9780198871569

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Intuition in Business

Eugene Sadler-Smith

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Eugene Sadler-Smith

Eugene Sadler-Smith

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Pages

103–133

  • Published:

    February 2023

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Sadler-Smith, Eugene, 'The ‘Two-Minds’ Model', Intuition in Business (Oxford, 2023; online edn, Oxford Academic, 23 Feb. 2023), https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780198871569.003.0005, accessed 22 June 2024.

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Abstract

The main idea of this chapter is that cognition is accomplished in two ways: fast, automatic and unconscious (known as ‘Type 1 processing); slow, deliberate, and conscious (‘Type 2’). Human beings have, metaphorically speaking, ‘two minds in one brain’ (known as ‘dual-process theory’). Various nomenclatures are used, e.g., ‘System 1’ (the intuitive system) and ‘System 2’ (the analytical system), ‘old mind’ and ‘new mind’ (which reflects their evolutionary origins, etc.). Conflict and cooperation between the two systems is discussed and debated. One dual-process theory in particular, regarded by some as a landmark contribution, is singled out for attention: Seymour Epstein’s ‘Cognitive-Experiential Theory’ (CET). The applications of dual-processing in business are discussed. The chapter concludes with the debate about when should intuitive (System 1) processing be trusted. Guidelines for when to go with your gut are provided based on a distinction between ‘kind learning structures’/‘high-validity environments’, which build good intuitions, and ‘wicked learning structures’/‘low-validity environments’, which do not.

Keywords: two-minds model, dual-process theories, System 1, System 2, Type 1 processing, Type 2 processing, Cognitive-Experiential Theory, Seymour Epstein, low- and high-validity environments, kind and wicked learning structures

Subject

Business Strategy Innovation

Collection: Oxford Scholarship Online

Intuition in Business. Eugene Sadler-Smith, Oxford University Press. © Eugene Sadler-Smith (2023).DOI: 10.1093/oso/9780198871569.003.0005

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The ‘Two-Minds’ Model (2024)

FAQs

What is the two minds theory? ›

The idea of two minds in one brain,4 one that is slow, effortful, and deliberative and adept at solving (System 2, rational and analytical) and the other that is fast, effortless, automatic, and adept at sensing (System 1, experiential and intuitive), is a helpful metaphor for thinking about the different types of ...

Do we have more than one mind? ›

Although humans have one only brain, it can be helpful to think about our behavior as if we have two independent “minds” that function with different capacities. One “mind” governs brain functions that are concerned with the long term, and what is best for you.

What is an example of two minds? ›

idiom. I can't make up my mind where to take my vacation: I'm of two minds about where to go. I'm of two minds about (hiring) him: he seems well-qualified, but he doesn't have much experience.

What happens when the two minds are at odds? ›

When the "two minds" are at odds, the left hemisphere does mental gymnastics to rationalize reactions it does not understand. If a patient follows an order sent to the right hemisphere ("Walk"), a strange thing happens. Unaware of the order, the left hemisphere doesn't know why the patient begins walking.

Do we have 2 brains or 1? ›

Explanation: Humans have only one brain and it is divided into two hemispheres. The human brain is the central organ of the human nervous system. With spinal cord makes up the central nervous system.

How many thoughts can the mind hold at once? ›

Researchers at the University of Oregon have concluded that the human brain has a built-in limit on the number of discrete thoughts it can entertain at one time. The limit for most individuals is four, according to the research team led by University of Oregon psychology professors Edward Awh and Edward Vogel.

Are we our brains or our bodies? ›

Biologically speaking, your body comes first, then your brain develops, then your mind emerges. In that order. To that end, you are essentially a body. This is true of the vast majority of animals within our evolutionary lineage.

What is the two brain theory? ›

The idea first began circulating in the neuroscience community after some split-brain patients exhibited alien hand syndrome (AHS), which led some scientists to believe that there must be two separate consciousnesses within the brain's left and right hemispheres in competition with one another once the corpus callosum ...

What is the dual mind theory? ›

Dual-process accounts of reasoning postulate that there are two systems or minds in one brain. A current theory is that there are two cognitive systems underlying thinking and reasoning and that these different systems were developed through evolution.

What is the two systems theory of mind? ›

According to the two-systems account of theory of mind (ToM), understanding mental states of others involves both fast social-perceptual processes, as well as slower, reflexive cognitive operations (Frith and Frith, 2008; Apperly and Butterfill, 2009).

What is the two brains concept? ›

Our brain is for having ideas, not storing them. Building A Second Brain is a methodology for saving and systematically reminding us of the ideas, inspirations, insights, and connections we've gained through our experience. It expands our memory and our intellect using the modern tools of technology and networks.

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