1. Cognitive Continuum Theory
Public Administration and Policy
PAD634 Judgment and Decision Making Behavior
Cognitive Continuum Theory
Thomas R. Stewart, Ph.D.
Center for Policy Research
Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy
University at Albany
State University of New York

2. Premise I: A cognitive continuum
Various modes, or forms, of cognition can be ordered in relation to one another on a continuum that is identified by intuitive cognition at one pole and analytical cognition at the other.
Hammond (1996), p. 147
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3. Premise II: Common sense
The forms of cognition that lie on the continuum between intuition and analysis include elements of both intuition and analysis and are included under the term quasirationality. This form of cognition is known to the layperson as “common sense.”
Hammond (1996), p. 150
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4. Premise III: Theory of task structures
Cognitive tasks can be ordered on a continuum with regard to their capacity to induce intuition, quasirationality, or analytical cognition.
Hammond (1996), p. 180
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5. Cognition and tasks on a continuum
Cognitive continuum
Intuition Analysis
Quasirationality
(“common sense”)
Task continuum
Intuition-inducing Analysis-inducing
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6. Properties of intuition and analysis (review)
Intuition Analysis
Based on Hammond, K. R., Hamm, R. M., Grassia, J., & Pearson, T. (1987). Direct comparison of the efficacy of intuitive and analytical cognition in expert judgment. IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics, SMC-17,
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7. Dual systems
From: Kahneman, D. and Frederick, S. (2002). Representativeness revisited: Attribute substitution in intuitive judgment. in T. Gilovich, D. Griffin, & D. Kahneman (Eds.), Heuristics & Biases: The Psychology of Intuitive Judgment (pp ). New York: Cambridge University Press.
See also: Sloman, S. A. (2002). Two systems of reasoning. In T. Gilovich, D. Griffin, & D. Kahneman (Eds.), Heuristics and biases: The psychology of intuitive judgment. (pp ). New York: Cambridge University Press.
Hammond argues (p. 147 ff.) that this dichotomy is not useful, and should be replaced by a continuum.
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8. Elaboration of task-cognition relation

9. Premise IV: Dynamic cognition
Cognitive activities may move along the intuitive-analytic continuum over time; as they do so, the relative contributions of intuitive and analytical components to quasirationality will change. Successful cognition that maintains constancy with the environment inhibits movement; failure and loss of constancy stimulate it.
Hammond (1996), p. 192
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10. Premise IV: Theory of task structures
“Oscillation”
Hammond (1996), p. 195
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11. Premise V: Pattern recognition and functional relations
Human cognition is capable of pattern recognition and the use of functional relations.
Hammond (1996), p. 196
Alternation between the use of multiple fallible indicators and patterns (p. 198).
Narrative (p. 200)
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12. Cognitive Continuum Theory (Hammond, 1980)
Complexity of task structure
Texture of judgment scale, number of cues, vicarious mediation, cue distribution, weights, organizing principle
Ambiguity of task content
Availability of an organizing principle, task outcome available, familiarity with content, feedforward, feedback
Form of task presentation
Task decomposition, cognitive decomposition, type of cue data, type of cue definition, response time permitted or implied
cognitive-continuum.ppt