There is also now evidence that rationality, unlike intelligence, can be improved through training. Did you do well? “Accidentally give the wrong amount of change in a transaction, and it’s ‘And you went to Harvard?’ ... Get your head stuck in your niece’s dollhouse because you want to see what it’s like to be a giant, and it’s ‘Uncle Conan, you went to Harvard?’”   Hyperbole aside, Conan’s anecdotes offered an interesting —  although probably unintentional — lesson: Because these students went to Harvard, people will assume that they are not only intelligent but rational, too. On the other hand, perhaps the fictional Mr. Spock from the iconic rationality. That’s why, Morewedge says, we’re really bad at picking job candidates.His solution? (All feminist bank tellers are bank tellers, though some bank tellers may not be feminists. We are interested in defining and measuring rational thinking by using individual difference paradigms, developmental perspectives, and the inclusion of special populations. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. “And most of my students, because they are MBA students, have 401(k)s from previous employment. Being intelligent does not mean being rational, but being able to combine all the information and make the best decision. And I ask them how long they took to research all the investment options they had. There is a marked difference between the two, although we often conflate them. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. The mental skills that intelligence tests measure do not include rationality. Eighty-five percent of the subjects chose B, even though logically speaking, A is more probable. Intelligence is the ability to solve problems, but in many cases, to get away from obstacles, you need a bit of divergent thinking, get out of the paths pre-established by logic and dare to risk following intuition. Intelligence can be defined by IQ, which encompasses visuospatial puzzles, math problems, pattern recognition, vocabulary questions and visual searches. What are the relative effects of these cognitive attributes, in the vast scheme of things? All it takes is a little practice. Here are a few: “I have over $5,000 of credit-card debt” (financial); “I forgot about an exam” (academic); “I was arrested for driving under the influence” (legal); “I cheated on my romantic partner who I had been with for more than a year” (interpersonal); “I contracted a sexually transmitted infection because I did not wear a condom” (health). I wondered. Our laboratory is affiliated with York University Intelligence often doesn’t have anything to do with rationality. There is also now evidence that rationality, unlike intelligence, can be improved through training. But it’s much harder than you think, since we’re surrounded by people and things that confirm our biases. “Should I hire someone? Rational, but nowhere near what you and I would consider Intelligent. Unbiased reflection can be . APS has joined many scientific organizations, other groups, and lawmakers in calling for more support for NSF in the upcoming year. High IQ predicts the benefits of academic success, financial reward, career achievement, and less likelihood of criminal behavior. His Web site, Psych Central does not provide medical or psychological advice, diagnosis or treatment. Reasoning, by contrast, often relies on skeptical examination, less steeped in traditional mental bias. And, according to York University professor Maggie Toplak, IQ tests don’t effectively measure how rational a person is. These definitions seem to suggest that rationality and intelligence are fundamentally the same concept. We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience.