PSY WK1 A3

“Trust your gut feeling when all else fails” A statement we human beings tend to tell ourselves when our minds fail to process a dilemma we are faced with. A “gut feeling” is a statement used to describe what is formally known as our Intuition. Do we rely on our intuition and forget to logically find a solution to various conflicts? Intuition is defined as the quality or ability of having such direct perception or quick insight. While logic is defined as the science that investigates the principles governing correct or reliable inference. For example playing the lottery, Logic tells us that one has a 1 to 185,000,000 chance of winning. Intuition gives one the confidence to play against the odds because of that “gut feeling” backing the numbers that were chosen. An experiment was conducted to test the theory of Logic versus Intuition, will that “gut feeling” override reasoning, or will logic trump what is felt within.

50 trials were conducted with the total of 5 subjects. Each subject was given 10 trials to choose between three envelopes, one containing an one hundred dollar bill while the other two were empty. After the subject chose their first envelope they were told that one envelope was certainly not the envelope that contained the money. After being told that the envelope they picked was wrong they were given the opportunity to stick with the envelope they chose or pick another. The results show that out of 50 trails there were 30 wins and 20 loses, concluding that a the correct envelope was picked of 60% of time and the wrong envelope was picked 40% of the time. 40% was won by staying with their first choice while 20% won by switching.

According to the results of the experiments conducted those who used logic to make a choice in picking an envelope succeeded whereas the use of intuition yielded more negative results. Theories are great however proven facts work better. If we as the human race had stuck to theory we wouldn’t have airplanes streaking across the skies today. The power of flight was a theory for a very long time until two brothers were brave enough to test that theory out. Intuition told us it was impossible humans don’t and cant not sprout wings, however logic told us to build wings, so we built them. As we see with my results the times where intuition was used and caused the subject to switch they were more likely to lose rather than win.

Using Physical evidence to back one’s theory has always been the best

route to take. It gives one the opportunity to test and prove their theories producing hard evidence to back it.

Testing Intuition Subject: Child 3

Correct answer Subject's choice Stay/Switch Win/Lose

1 C C Stay Win

2 A A Stay Win

3 B B Switch Lose

4 B B Stay Win

5 C C Switch Lose

6 A B Switch Win

7 C C Stay Win

8 A B Switch Win

9 B C Switch Win

10 B B Stay Win

Testing Intuition Subject: Wife

Correct answer Subject's choice Stay/Switch Win/Lose

1 A A Swicth Lose

2 A B Switch Lose

3 B B Stay Win

4 C B Stay Lose

5 C C Stay Win

6 B B Stay Win

7 B C Switch Win

8 C B Stay Lose

9 A A Stay Win

10 B A Switch Win

Testing Intuition Subject: Child 2

Correct answer Subject's choice Stay/Switch Win/Lose

1 C B Stay Lose

2 A A Stay Win

3 C B Switch Win

4 B B Stay Win

5 C A Switch Win

6 A A Stay Win

7 C B Stay Lose

8 A B Switch Win

9 A A Stay Win

10 B A Stay Lose

Testing Intuition Subject: Child 1

Correct answer Subject's choice Stay/Switch Win/Lose

1 B B Stay Win

2 A B Stay Lose

3 C B Stay Lose

4 C B Stay Lose

5 C C Stay Win

6 B B Stay Win

7 B C Stay Lose

8 C B Stay Lose

9 B B Stay Win

10 C A Stay Lose

Testing Intuition Subject: Aunt

Correct answer Subject's choice Stay/Switch Win/Lose

1 B B Stay Win

2 A B Switch Lose

3 C B Switch Win

4 C B Switch Win

5 C C Stay Win

6 B B Switch Lose

7 B C Stay Lose

8 C B Switch Win

9 A A Stay Win

10 B A Stay Lose

60%

40%

Trials

Wins

Loses

40%

20%

40%

Trials

Wins Stayed

Wins Switched

Loses