System 1
in the dual process theory of reasoning and decision making, a mode of thought comprising rapid, implicit, and automatic cognitive operations. System 1 is contrasted with the slow, explicit, and controlled processes of System 2. In other words, System 1 is intuitive and affective (i.e., what “feels right”), whereas System 2 is logically analytical and deliberate (i.e., what “makes sense”). Additionally, System 1 relies on associative memory and thus has a high capacity and entails little effort; System 2 relies on working memory and thus has a limited capacity and entails greater effort. Errors of judgment arise from concurrent failures in both systems: The automatic operations of System 1 generate a faulty intuition, which the controlled operations of System 2 fail to detect and correct. For example, when deciding whether it is more dangerous to travel by car or airplane, a person may quickly recall horrific
images of airline disasters and erroneously conclude that flying is more dangerous. This might then be compounded by a failure to think analytically about the total number of automobile versus airline accidents. A variety of other labels have been proposed over the years for this distinction, including impulsive versus reflective, intuition versus reasoning, experiential versus rational, heuristic versus systematic, and Type 1 versus Type 2.