Wason Selection Task: Examples of abstract vs. concrete problems

📚 Quick Study Guide

• 🧠 The Wason Selection Task is a logic puzzle that tests reasoning about conditional statements.
• 🤔 Participants often struggle with abstract versions but perform better with concrete, real-world scenarios.
• 🔑 The key is to identify cases that could potentially violate the rule, not just confirm it.
• 🚫 Confirmation bias plays a significant role in incorrect answers. People tend to look for evidence that confirms their beliefs rather than evidence that might disprove them.
• 🌍 Concrete examples provide context and familiarity, making it easier to apply logical reasoning.

🧪 Practice Quiz

1. Which of the following describes the Wason Selection Task?
   1. A test of memory recall.
   2. A test of logical reasoning with conditional statements.
   3. A test of spatial awareness.
   4. A test of emotional intelligence.
2. In the abstract version of the Wason Selection Task, participants are presented with:
   1. Cards with familiar objects.
   2. Cards with real-world scenarios.
   3. Cards with numbers and letters.
   4. Cards with faces.
3. Why do people generally perform better on concrete versions of the Wason Selection Task?
   1. Concrete examples are more visually appealing.
   2. Concrete examples trigger emotional responses.
   3. Concrete examples provide context and are easier to relate to.
   4. Concrete examples require less cognitive effort.
4. What is confirmation bias?
   1. The tendency to seek out information that confirms existing beliefs.
   2. The tendency to ignore new information.
   3. The ability to accurately assess new situations.
   4. The desire to be correct.
5. Which card(s) must be turned over to test the rule: "If a card has a vowel on one side, then it has an even number on the other side," given cards showing A, D, 4, and 7?
   1. A and 4
   2. A and 7
   3. D and 4
   4. D and 7
6. Consider this scenario: "If someone is drinking beer, then they must be over 21." Which card(s) should you flip to ensure this rule isn't violated, given cards showing "Drinking Beer," "Drinking Coke," "25 years old," and "16 years old"?
   1. Drinking Beer and 25 years old
   2. Drinking Coke and 16 years old
   3. Drinking Beer and 16 years old
   4. Drinking Coke and 25 years old
7. What makes the abstract version of the Wason Selection Task difficult?
   1. The lack of clear rules.
   2. The requirement for advanced mathematical skills.
   3. The absence of relatable context.
   4. The presence of too much information.