Cognitive adaptation and its consequences: A test of cognitive continuum theory

Cognitive Continuum Theory (CCT) is an adaptive theory of human judgement a nd posits a continuum of cognitive modes anchored by intuition and analysis . The theory specifies surface and depth task characteristics that are like ly to induce cognitive modes at different points along the cognitive contin uum. The current study manipulated both the surface (information representa tion) and depth (task structure) characteristics of a multiple-cue integrat ion threat assessment task. The surface manipulation influenced cognitive m ode in the predicted direction with an iconic information display inducing a more intuitive mode than a numeric information display. The depth manipul ation influenced cognitive mode in a pattern not predicted by CCT. Results indicate this difference was due to a combination of task complexity and pa rticipant satisfacing. As predicted, analysis produced a more leptokurtic e rror distribution than intuition. Task achievement was a function of the ex tent to which participants demonstrated an analytic cognitive mode index, a nd not a function of correspondence, as predicted. This difference was like ly due to the quantitative nature of the task manipulations. Copyright (C) 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.