Nature of Introspection

1
Nature of Introspection

• Introspective observation is what we have to
  rely on first and foremost and always. The word
  introspection need hardly be defined - it
  means, of course, the looking into our own minds
  and reporting what we there discover. (William
  James, p. 185)

2
Types of Introspection

• Analytic introspection
• the reduction screen
• basis for sensory analysis, e.g., winetasting
• Descriptive introspection
• Interpretive introspection
• looking for causes of behavior
• Freuds self-analysis

3
Limitations of Introspection

• Forgetting
• Errors of reconstruction
• Filling in gaps
• Errors of verbalization
• Transforming image to word
• Distortions produced by observation
• Changing mental contents by looking

4
Conditions Affecting Verbal Reports

• Based on Ericsson Simon
• Favorable Conditions
• Information currently in STM
• Information in LTM but transferred back to STM
• Unfavorable Conditions
• Not attended, so not in STM
• Overlooked in STM
• Information in STM but not transferred to LTM
• Information cannot be retrieved from LTM

5
Limitations of Introspection, contd

• Demand characteristics
• task demands
• censorship)
• No independent verification
• Confusions between inference and observation

6
Introspective Methods

• Thinking out loud
• Cryptarithmetic DONALD GERALD ROBERT
• Thought sampling
• Report on thoughts at the moment of a cue
• Retrospective reports
• Event recording
• Diaries
• Group questionnaires

7
Mental Stereotaximetry

• Measuring the location of experiences in the
  minds eye
• 3 dimensional co-ordinate system
• Do all experiences occur in the same place?
• Visual
• Auditory
• Olfactory
• Computational
• Imagined scenario

8
Introspection as a Process

• Introspection is not
• primary consciousness
• a sensory process
• a brain scan
• an inference from behavior
• direct inner observation
• Introspection is
• retrospection
• the psychological moment

9
Problems with Introspection

• Nisbett Wilson (1977)
• Telling more than we can know Verbal reports on
  mental processes
• People dont know why they do things
• cognitive dissonance theory
• bystander intervention effect
• People make up explanations
• a priori beliefs about causes

10
Evidence for Introspection

• Correlations between subjective factors and
  objective factors for actors vs. observers

11
Actors vs. Observers

• correlations are higher for actors than
  observers, e.g., .42 vs .35
• partial correlation for actors, after controlling
  for observers, is moderate, .31
• However, note that the difference is not huge

12
Privileged Information Covariation Assessment

• Covariation assessment How much is variation in
  responding due to particular variation in
  stimulus conditions?
• Actors are more accurate than observers, when
• covariation is easily assessed