Human decision-making is primarily emotionally based with rationalization as a conscious component
Dual-process cognitive theories and neuroscience research support the view that human decision-making is initially driven by rapid, automatic, and emotionally influenced processes (System 1), with conscious rationalization and analytical thinking operating as secondary components (System 2).
The retrieved literature consistently supports the dual-process framework in psychology and neuroscience, which posits that intuitive, heuristic-driven, and affect-laden processing (System 1) typically initiates decision-making, while conscious deliberation and rationalization (System 2) serve a secondary or regulatory role. Papers [0], [4], [6], and [8] all explicitly connect human cognition and decision-making to these dual-system architectures where emotional or intuitive responses predominate and conscious reasoning acts downstream. No papers refute this premise.
Hartwigsen G, Bengio Y, Bzdok D. How does hemispheric specialization contribute to human-defining cognition?. 2021. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2021.04.024
Paper [0] discusses dual-processing theories such as Kahneman's System 1 and System 2, aligning with the idea of rapid intuitive cognition interacting with conscious reasoning.
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Xu F, Liu A, Li X. Victimization mechanisms and countermeasures in telecom network fraud: a dual-system theoretical perspective.. 2025. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1637935
Paper [4] utilizes dual-system theory to explain how heuristic biases driven by System 1 lead to decisions, showing that emotional or intuitive responses often precede or override rational analysis.
Rolls ET. Emotion, Motivation, Reasoning, and How Their Brain Systems Are Related.. 2025. https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci15050507
Paper [6] notes that brain systems underlying emotion and motivation provide primary drivers for actions, with reasoning serving as an alternative or subsequent strategy.
Kiffer CRV, Bispo PJM. Slow Thinking for Fast Results: Reclaiming Analytical Reasoning in Antimicrobial Susceptibility Test Interpretation.. 2026. https://doi.org/10.1093/ofid/ofag214
Paper [8] applies dual-process theory to show how rapid intuitive judgment frequently guides clinical decisions before deliberate analytical reasoning takes place.
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