Dual-System Mechanisms Involved in Risk Estimations and Punishment Proposals for Rape

Dual system models assume that human cognition is carried by two cognitive processing subsystems: System 1, which operates fast, automatically, and typically makes inferences based on heuristics, and System 2, which processes information in a controlled, analytical, manner. The present experiment investigates the role of several mechanisms from dual-system models, in evaluations related to a real rape case. More specifically, we found that, in persons that are more inclined to use System 1 (i.e., have an intuitive cognitive style): (a) fluency heuristic, that is, the ease of retrieving examples of rape cases, influences the estimated probability of a new rape case; (b) the increased salience of information and emotion related to a rape case automatically influences probability estimates for a new rape case and estimations of appropriate punishment for rape. Furthermore, we unsuccessfully tested a “debiasing” method, which aimed to reduce the estimated probability of a new rape case, by manipulating retrieval fluency. We discuss theoretical implications of these results for dual-system models and risk perception, and practical implications for reducing dysfunctional reactions (e.g., extreme distress) associated with rape-related risk perception.