Unit 2 - Cognition

These flashcards encompass key vocabulary terms and their definitions related to psychology concepts discussed in the lecture.

Algorithm

A problem-solving strategy characterized by a specific set of instructions.

Analytical Intelligence

Intelligence aligned with academic problem solving and computations.

Algorithm

A problem-solving strategy characterized by a specific set of instructions.

Analytical Intelligence

Intelligence aligned with academic problem solving and computations.

Anchoring Bias

A faulty heuristic in which you fixate on a single aspect of a problem to find a solution.

Artificial Concept

Concept that is defined by a very specific set of characteristics.

Availability Heuristic

A faulty heuristic in which you make a decision based on information readily available to you.

Cognition

Thinking, including perception, learning, problem solving, judgment, and memory.

Cognitive Psychology

Field of psychology dedicated to studying every aspect of how people think.

Cognitive Script

Set of behaviors that are performed the same way each time; also referred to as an event schema.

Confirmation Bias

A faulty heuristic in which you focus on information that confirms your beliefs.

Convergent Thinking

Providing correct or established answers to problems.

Creative Intelligence

Ability to produce combine other ideas to create a new solution or ideas

Creativity

Ability to generate, create, or discover new ideas, solutions, and possibilities.

Crystallized Intelligence

Characterized by acquired knowledge and the ability to retrieve it.

Cultural Intelligence

Ability to understand and relate to those in another culture.

Divergent Thinking

Ability to think 'outside the box' to arrive at novel solutions to a problem.

Dyscalculia

Learning disability that causes difficulty in learning or comprehending mathematics.

Dysgraphia

Learning disability that causes extreme difficulty in writing legibly.

Dyslexia

Common learning disability in which letters are not processed properly by the brain.

Emotional Intelligence

Ability to understand emotions and motivations in yourself and others.

Event Schema

Set of behaviors that are performed the same way each time; also referred to as a cognitive script.

Fluid Intelligence

Ability to see complex relationships and solve problems.

Flynn Effect

Observation that each generation has a significantly higher IQ than the previous generation.

Functional Fixedness

Inability to see an object as useful for any other use other than the one for which it was intended.

Grammar

Set of rules that are used to convey meaning through the use of a lexicon.

Heuristic

Mental shortcut that saves time when solving a problem.

Hindsight Bias

Belief that the event just experienced was predictable, even though it really wasn’t.

Intelligence Quotient (IQ)

Score on a test designed to measure intelligence.

Language

Communication system that involves using words to transmit information from one individual to another.

Lexicon

The words of a given language.

Mental Set

Continually using an old solution to a problem without results.

Morpheme

Smallest unit of language that conveys some type of meaning.

Multiple Intelligences Theory

Gardner’s theory that each person possesses at least eight types of intelligence.

Natural Concept

Mental groupings that are created 'naturally' through your experiences.

Norming

Administering a test to a large population so data can be collected to reference normal scores.

Overgeneralization

Extension of a rule that exists in a given language to an exception to the rule.

Phoneme

Basic sound unit of a given language.

Practical Intelligence

Also known as 'street smarts', referring to problem-solving strategy.

Prototype

Best representation of a concept.

Range of Reaction

Each person’s response to the environment is unique based on their genetic make-up.

Representative Bias

A faulty heuristic in which you stereotype someone or something without a valid basis for your judgment.

Representative Sample

Subset of the population that accurately represents the general population.

Role Schema

Set of expectations that define the behaviors of a person occupying a particular role.

Schema (plural = Schemata)

Mental construct consisting of a cluster or collection of related concepts.

Semantics

Process by which we derive meaning from morphemes and words.

Standard Deviation

Measure of variability that describes the difference between a set of scores and their mean.

Standardization

Method of testing in which administration, scoring, and interpretation of results are consistent.

Syntax

Manner by which words are organized into sentences.

Trial and Error

A problem-solving strategy in which multiple solutions are attempted until the correct one is found.

Triarchic Theory of Intelligence

Sternberg’s theory of intelligence; three facets of intelligence: practical, creative, and analytical.

Working Backwards Heuristic

Heuristic in which you begin to solve a problem by focusing on the end result.

Absentmindedness

Lapses in memory caused by breaks in attention.

Acoustic Encoding

Input of sounds, words, and music.

Amnesia

Loss of long-term memory that occurs as a result of disease, physical trauma, or psychological trauma.

Anterograde Amnesia

Loss of memory for events that occur after brain trauma.

Arousal Theory

Strong emotions trigger the formation of strong memories and weaker emotional experiences form weaker memories.

Atkinson-Shiffrin Model

Memory model that states we process information through sensory memory, short-term memory, and long-term memory.

Automatic Processing

Encoding of informational details like time, space, frequency, and meaning.

Bias

How feelings and view of the world distort memory of past events.

Blocking

Memory error in which you cannot access stored information.

Chunking

Organizing information into manageable bits or chunks.

Construction

Formulation of new memories.

Declarative Memory

Type of long-term memory of facts and events we personally experience.

Effortful Processing

Encoding of information that takes effort and attention.

Elaborative Rehearsal

Thinking about the meaning of new information and its relation to knowledge already in memory.

Encoding

Input of information into the memory system.

Engram

Physical trace of memory.

Episodic Memory

Type of declarative memory that contains information about events personally experienced.

Equipotentiality Hypothesis

Some parts of the brain can take over for damaged parts in forming and storing memories.

Explicit Memory

Memories we consciously try to remember and recall.

False Memory Syndrome

Recall of false autobiographical memories.

Flashbulb Memory

Exceptionally clear recollection of an important event.

Forgetting

Loss of information from long-term memory.

Implicit Memory

Memories that are not part of our consciousness.

Levels of Processing

Information that is thought of more deeply becomes more meaningful and better committed to memory.

Long-Term Memory (LTM)

Continuous storage of information.

Memory

Set of processes used to encode, store, and retrieve information over time.

Memory-Enhancing Strategy

Technique to help ensure that information goes from short-term to long-term memory.

Misattribution

Memory error in which you confuse the source of your information.

Misinformation Effect Paradigm

After exposure to additional and possibly inaccurate information, a person may misremember an original event.

Mnemonic Device

Memory aids that help organize information for encoding.

Persistence

Failure of the memory system involving the involuntary recall of unwanted memories.

Proactive Interference

Old information hinders the recall of newly learned information.

Procedural Memory

Type of long-term memory for making skilled actions.

Recall

Accessing information without cues.

Recognition

Identifying previously learned information after encountering it again.

Reconstruction

Process of bringing up old memories that might be distorted by new information.

Rehearsal

Repetition of information to be remembered.

Relearning

Learning information that was previously learned.

Retrieval

Act of getting information out of long-term memory.

Retroactive Interference

Information learned more recently hinders the recall of older information.

Retrograde Amnesia

Loss of memory for events that occurred prior to brain trauma.

Self-Reference Effect

Tendency for an individual to have better memory for information that relates to oneself.

Semantic Encoding

Input of words and their meaning.

Semantic Memory

Type of declarative memory about words, concepts, and language-based knowledge.

Sensory Memory

Storage of brief sensory events.

Short-Term Memory (STM)

Holds about seven bits of information before it is forgotten or stored.

Storage

Creation of a permanent record of information.

Suggestibility

Effects of misinformation that lead to false memories.

Transience

Memory error in which unused memories fade over time.

Visual Encoding

Input of images.