We devote a lot of attention in our thinking.

We devote a lot of attention in our thinking.

• A. True
• B. Much of our thinking is not focused
• C. It varies by individual
• D. False

Answer: (D)

Thinking involves both automatic and deliberate processes, and attention is a limited resource. The statement implies we constantly devote a lot of conscious attention to all our thinking, but much of cognition runs automatically and quickly without sustained focus. For routine tasks and familiar situations, our brains rely on shortcuts and learned patterns, which frees us from dedicating heavy attention to every thought. When we face new, complex, or error-prone tasks, attention is indeed recruited more, but that’s not the typical state of thinking overall. Because this general claim overstates how much conscious attention thinking usually requires, the correct answer is false.

Thinking involves both automatic and deliberate processes, and attention is a limited resource. The statement implies we constantly devote a lot of conscious attention to all our thinking, but much of cognition runs automatically and quickly without sustained focus. For routine tasks and familiar situations, our brains rely on shortcuts and learned patterns, which frees us from dedicating heavy attention to every thought. When we face new, complex, or error-prone tasks, attention is indeed recruited more, but that’s not the typical state of thinking overall. Because this general claim overstates how much conscious attention thinking usually requires, the correct answer is false.