We study an individual’s propensity for rational thinking; the avoidance of cognitive biases
(unconscious errors generated by our mental simplification methods) using a novel augmented
reality (AR) platform. Specifically, we developed an odd-one-out (OOO) game-like
task in AR designed to try to induce and assess confirmatory biases. Forty students completed
the AR task in the laboratory, and the short form of the comprehensive assessment of
rational thinking (CART) online via the Qualtrics platform. We demonstrate that behavioural
markers (based on eye, hand and head movements) can be associated (linear regression)
with the short CART score – more rational thinkers have slower head and hand movements
and faster gaze movements in the second more ambiguous round of the OOO task.
Furthermore, short CART scores can be associated with the change in behaviour between
two rounds of the OOO task (one less and one more ambiguous) – hand-eye-head coordination
patterns of the more rational thinkers are more consistent in the two rounds. Overall,
we demonstrate the benefits of augmenting eye-tracking recordings with additional data
modalities when trying to understand complicated behaviours.