Slow Mode Thinking characteristics

  • Linked to the prefrontal cortex, with strong connections to other parts of the brain;
  • Consumes high energy – requires effort and justification via logic and evidence;
  • It is slow – filters the instinctive nature of the fast mode;
  • Things are reasoned through, by weighing up different sides to an issue, supressing automatic emotional responses;
  • Complex Decisions;
  • Reliable – it makes sense of anomalies;
  • Linear - follows rules and processes;
  • Concentration - looks for details, 
  • Self-control – monitors the impulses and habitual patterns of the fast system;
  • Relies on factual Knowledge;
  • Rational and logical;
  • Abstractions - considers broader significance of ideas and information rather than concrete details;
  • Objectivity;
  • Explores possibilities and probabilities;
  • Risk averse - making good decisions depends on paying attention to where the information comes from;
  • Ignores context – but comes into play to assess the context awareness of the fast mode for errors and filters the noise from the critical facts;
  • Time aware - past, present and future;
  • Single focused – has limited capacity;
  • Does not perform well under pressure – slight stress can cause the slow mode to stop functioning.
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