The relationship between level of academic education and reversible and irreversible processes of probability decision-making

The paper examines the nature of the effect of formal education on some of the
cognitive processes in decision-making and absence of effect on other central components of
decision-making. The research sample was composed of 940 subjects, among them undergraduates, graduate students, and alumni specializing in the social sciences, humanities or the physical and biological sciences. They responded to a questionnaire designed to measure cognitive ability in the decision-making process. Findings: Academic studies lead to better performance in each of the stages of decision-making. However, they do not cause the
decision-maker to deal with the different stages in an irreversible, hierarchical order, which is
considered optimal. Dealing with the different stages in a reversible order causes a blurring of
the boundaries between them. This impairs the ability to perform each stage effectively, and
lowers the level of rationality of the decision. Practical implications for the field of education
are discussed.