Today you will read an article and respond to questions about the article.
READ: This article (Pages 1-13 only).
DISCUSS: We will discuss the reading. We will use the questions below to guide our discussion.
What is automatic thinking, and how does it influence the decisions people make in daily life—especially under conditions of poverty or stress?Give an example from your own experience or observation where someone (including yourself) may have relied on automatic thinking instead of deliberate reasoning.
How do social norms and other people’s behavior shape individual decision-making?
Why might someone change their actions depending on what others around them are doing, even if they know better? Can this lead to both positive and negative outcomes?
What are mental models, and how might they help—or limit—someone’s ability to solve problems or pursue opportunities?
Think about how culture, upbringing, or education might shape the way people view the world. How can understanding mental models help us design better policies or educational tools?