Cognitive Psychology Part 2

Memory, Intelligence, Language

Mental Age

represents a child’s level of cognitive ability

Stanford-Binet IQ

an early IQ test created by Terman that originally measured intelligence by dividing mental age by chronical age and multiplying by 100

Intelligence Quotient (IQ)

standardized scale used to measure intellectual abilities

Wechsler Intelligence Scales (WAIS)

intelligence was made up a number of different mental abilities rather than a single general intelligence factor

Achievement Tests

designed to measure a person’s level of skill/knowledge in a specific area

Aptitude Tests

assess what a person is capable of doing or to predict

Reliability “Consistency“

tendency of a test to produce the same scores again and again each time it is given to the same people

Test-Retest Reliability

\*Best for intelligence, administering a test twice at two different points in time

Split-Half Reliability

comparing the results of one half a test with the results from the other half

Validity

The degree in which a test actually measures what it’s supposed to measure

Content Validity

test measures all aspects of what it is designed to measure

Predictive

Test accurately forecasts performance on a future measure

Standardization

process by which scores for a population are placed into set intervals to allow for easy analysis of test results

Normal Distribution

bell shaped curve in which the majority of scores is near or around the average score

Flynn Effect

ongoing increase in average IQ scores over time, which requires IQ tests to be calibrated periodically

Intellectual disability

condition of varying severity found in individuals with IQ scores below 70

Gifted

label for individuals who have an IQ above 130

Automatic Processing

unconscious processing of incidental or well-learned information

Effortful Processing

active processing of information that requires sustained effort

Shallow Processing

processing information based on its surface characteristics

Deep Processing

processing information with respect to its meaning

Memory

learning that has persisted over time and information that has been stored and can be retrieved

Recall

Being able to access the information without being cued (fill in the blank test without the word bank)

Recognition

identifying information after experiencing it again (MCQ test)

Relearning

process by which we learn something for the second time. the learning process often occurs faster than the first time (study for a cumulative final_

Encoding

process of putting information into the memory system

Storage

creation of a permanent record of the encoded information

Retrieval

The calling back of stored information on demand when it is needed

Iconic memory

visual

Echoic memory

Auditory

Haptic memory

Touch

Maintenance Rehearsal

Straight repeating of information in order to memorize it

Chunking

Process of taking individual pieces of information (chunks) and grouping them into larger chunks

Working Memory

system in your brain that allows you to temporarily retain and manipulate the stored information involved in a complex process

Miller’s magic number

number of items a person can remember and repeat back using attention and short-term memory

Implicit “Unconscious “ Memory

Information that you remember unconsciously and effortlessly

Procedural Memory

how to perform a specific task

Explicit “Conscious“ Memory

information that you have to consciously work to remember

Semantic Memory “Facts“

memories of facts, concepts, names and other general knowledge

Episodic Memory

long term memory that involves the recollection of specific events, situations, and experiences

Prospective Memory

Remembering to complete a task in the future

Long-term Potentiation

strengthening of a synaptic connection that happens when the synapse of one neuron repeatedly fires and excites another neuron

Forgetting Curve

exponential loss of information shortly after learning it

Amnesia

full or partial loss of memory

Retrograde Amnesia

cannot remember things that happened before the event that caused their amnesia

Anterograde Amnesia

Condition in which a person is unable to create new memories after an amnesia-inducing event

Serial Position Effect

When we try to retrieve a long list of words, we usually recall the last words (recency effect) and the first words (Primary effect), forgetting the words in the middle

Encoding failure

occurs when a memory was never formed in the first place (without effort, many memories never form)

Proactive (Previous) Interferences

older memories interfere with the retrieval of newer memories

Retroactive (Recent Memories)

newer memories interfere with the retrieval of older memories

Flashbulb Memory

Vivid and detailed memories that people create during times of personal tragedy, accident, or emotionally significant world events

Misinformation effect

exposed to misleading information we tend to misremember

Method of Loci

Association of words on a list with visualization of place on a familiar path

Context dependent memory

Easier recall of information while in the same “context“ of environment in which it was acquired

State dependent memory

memories that are triggered or enhanced by a person’s current mood because of the relationship to memories formed when you were in a similar state