Samuel Chiltern answered
I don't think there is a more specific or technical term for a snap judgement in psychology. Put simply, a snap judgement is decision that is made instantaneously, without any conscious consideration whatsoever.
The Adaptive Unconscious as an Evolutionary Trait
The adaptive unconscious is the part of our brains that makes snap judgements, and it is believed that this behaviour carries important evolutionary significance.
Evolutionary scientists believe that all behaviour in humans was once unconscious, and that this part of our brains is a remnant of that past.
These rapidly-made decisions appear invisible to our conscious awareness - sometimes we just have a 'gut feeling' about something, but we can't explain why.
The adaptive unconscious has a number of defining characteristics. Decisions made by this part of the brain tend to be quick and effortless, but the drawbacks include the fact that these decisions are fixed in the present situation, and lack the flexibility to adapt to new experiences.
The term 'adaptive' stems from the notion that the behaviours exhibited by this part of the brain encapsulate evolutionary adaptations that the organism has had to make in order to survive.
It in no way suggests that the adaptive unconscious is able to change its own behavioural patterns in the same way as the conscious mind, however.
The Role of Adaptive Unconscious in Forming First Impressions
Malcolm Gladwell has written about the importance of first impressions when we meet somebody, and how quickly we decide whether or not we like a person - and the value judgements we make about that person.
Research has shown that the opinions students drew of a lecturer that they were shown a two-second clip of still remained the same even after a full semester of being taught by him.
The Adaptive Unconscious as an Evolutionary Trait
The adaptive unconscious is the part of our brains that makes snap judgements, and it is believed that this behaviour carries important evolutionary significance.
Evolutionary scientists believe that all behaviour in humans was once unconscious, and that this part of our brains is a remnant of that past.
These rapidly-made decisions appear invisible to our conscious awareness - sometimes we just have a 'gut feeling' about something, but we can't explain why.
The adaptive unconscious has a number of defining characteristics. Decisions made by this part of the brain tend to be quick and effortless, but the drawbacks include the fact that these decisions are fixed in the present situation, and lack the flexibility to adapt to new experiences.
The term 'adaptive' stems from the notion that the behaviours exhibited by this part of the brain encapsulate evolutionary adaptations that the organism has had to make in order to survive.
It in no way suggests that the adaptive unconscious is able to change its own behavioural patterns in the same way as the conscious mind, however.
The Role of Adaptive Unconscious in Forming First Impressions
Malcolm Gladwell has written about the importance of first impressions when we meet somebody, and how quickly we decide whether or not we like a person - and the value judgements we make about that person.
Research has shown that the opinions students drew of a lecturer that they were shown a two-second clip of still remained the same even after a full semester of being taught by him.
