The area of psychological research
reviewed in this book is one that is not only increasing in popularity
in college curricula, but is also making an ever larger impact on the
world outside the classroom. Drawing upon research originally cited in
Ken Manktelow’s highly successful publication Reasoning and Thinking,
this completely rewritten textbook reflects on the revolutionary
changes that have occurred in the field in recent years, stemming from
the huge expansion in research output, as well as new methods and
explanations, and the appearance of numerous books on the subject aimed
at the popular market.

The main areas covered are probability
judgment, deductive and inductive reasoning, decision making,
hypothetical thinking and rationality. In each case, the material is
almost entirely new, with topics such as the new paradigm in reasoning
research, causal reasoning and counterfactual thinking appearing for the
first time. The book also presents an extended treatment of decision
making research, and contains a chapter on individual and cultural
influences on thinking. Thinking and Reasoning provides
a detailed, integrated and approachable treatment of this area of
cognitive psychology, and is ideal reading for intermediate and advanced
undergraduate students; indeed, for anyone interested in how we draw
conclusions and make choices.