ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION The last three chapters have outlined a rational analysis of the selection task, modelling detailed patterns of data from both indicative and deontic versions of the task. In this chapter, we explain in detail how our account relates to Anderson’s (1990) methodology for rational analysis. We compare our rational analysis to other accounts of the selection task and to other accounts of reasoning more generally. Finally, we consider the level of detail at which our rational analysis should be related to process-based accounts of reasoning performance, and we relate our work to the wider programme of understanding human behaviour as rational.