The Two Systems of Thinking

Revision as of 22:28, 12 February 2023

The Israeli-American psychologist, economist and 2002 Nobel Prize winner, Daniel Kahneman introduced the two systems of thinking in his bestselling book, Thinking fast and slow. He argues that every single decision a human being makes is made by one of two systems in the brain. He calls them System 1 and System 2. The systems have their own abilities, limitations, and functions.

System 1 behaves involuntarily, automatically, quickly and with little or no effort. Examples of activities that are are led to System 1 are solving simple math questions and driving a car on an empty road. System 2 behaves consciously and requires concentration. Examples of activities that are led to System 2 are filling out tax form and parking in a narrow space. Self control falls under System 2 and it sometimes has to handle the impulsiveness of System 1. Biases can occur in decision making because a person can not turn off System 1 and it behaves automatically. It is therefore crucial to be aware of biases to make sure we make the right decisions.

This article will focus on how the the two systems of thinking and biases relate to project management. Additionally it will discuss the internal interaction between the systems.

Table of contents

System 1 and System 2 Further discussion about the systems and their internal interaction

Biases Introduction to the biases we may have to deal with under decision making and how the two systems relate to it

The Two Systems in Project Management How the two systems relate to project management.

References