Thinking Patterns, Intelligence, and Memories

Wade and Tavris explain that various factors combine to influence one’s thinking patterns, intelligence, and memories. In fact, we often embrace certain biases and mental shortcuts to assist our cognitive processing. These efforts can prove both costly and beneficial.

This assignment is divided into parts, so it is suggested that you begin working on it in advance.

• Find a popular press article or story from the nightly news in which someone argues a point that you disagree with. Write a paragraph agreeing with this person. Allow one day before moving on to the next part.
• Make sure at least one day has passed since writing the first paragraph. Now, write another paragraph disagreeing with the person. You will include both of these paragraphs in your essay.
• Discuss the differences between your arguments from the first paragraph in which you agree and the second paragraph in which you disagree. Elaborate on whether you think that your opinion has changed on this topic, particularly thinking about your initial thoughts on the topic before you wrote either paragraph.
• In your discussion, incorporate research from the textbook to explain how reasoning, intelligence, and memories influenced your arguments. How did cognitive dissonance affect your reasoning abilities?