Exam 3 Review

Cognitive Psychology

Key features of language

Communicative, Referential, Meaningful, Structured, and Creative

Visual word form area

A brain region that helps in word recognition, evolved from object and face processing.

Spreading Activation Model

A model suggesting words in our mental lexicon are activated through associations with current words or concepts.

Semantic priming

A phenomenon where recognizing one word aids in recognizing a related word.

Semantics vs. Syntax

Semantics: Meaning of words; Syntax: Rules governing sentence structure.

Productivity in language

The ability to create an infinite number of sentences from limited words and rules.

Recursion in language

Embedding phrases within phrases, allowing for complex sentence construction.

Chomsky's theory of language acquisition

Proposes language is acquired through an innate mechanism, not just through environmental learning.

Poverty of the stimulus argument

Children learn complex language despite receiving insufficient corrective feedback.

Transformational grammar

A theory with rules for converting mental representations into grammatical verbal output.

Sapir-Whorf hypothesis

The hypothesis that language shapes thought and influences perception.

Strong vs. weak Sapir-Whorf hypothesis

Strong: Language determines thought; Weak: Language influences thought.

System 1 vs. System 2 thinking

System 1: Fast, intuitive; System 2: Slow, analytical.

Conjunction fallacy

The error of assuming specific conditions are more probable than general ones.

Representativeness heuristic

Judging probabilities based on resemblance rather than statistical logic.

Anchoring and adjustment

Cognitive bias where initial information heavily influences subsequent judgments.

Loss aversion

The preference to avoid losses rather than acquire equivalent gains.

Prospect theory

Explains decision-making under risk, indicating sensitivity to losses over gains.

Sunk cost effect

Continuing an endeavor due to previously invested resources despite poor prospects.

Delay discounting

Valuing immediate rewards more than future ones, leading to impulsive decisions.

Deductive vs. inductive reasoning

Deductive: Specific conclusions from general premises; Inductive: General conclusions from specific instances.

Modus ponens

If P implies Q and P is true, then Q must also be true.

Bayesian reasoning

Reasoning based on probabilities, updating beliefs with new evidence.

Components of Bayes’ Rule

Posterior probability, Prior probability, Likelihood.

Recognition heuristic

A mental shortcut relying on familiar options to make decisions.

Native language magnet effect

Infants' brains specialize in perceiving sounds of their native language. Language acquisition

Morphemes

Smallest units of meaning in a language.

Content vs. functional morphemes

Content: Core meaning (e.g. 'dog'); Functional: Grammatical purposes (e.g. 'the').

Language influence on thought

Language can guide thought by emphasizing different categories or concepts.

Fausey & Boroditsky findings

English speakers remember who committed an action easier than Spanish speakers.

Availability heuristic

Judging likelihood based on how easily examples come to mind.

Decoy effect

Preference change when a less attractive option is introduced.

Deliberation-without-attention effect

Better decisions can emerge after unconscious thought.

Take-the-best heuristic

Choosing the best option based on the most important cue.

Prospect theory in risky choices

People value potential losses more than gains, affecting their decision-making.

Endowment effect

Valuing owned items more than equivalent unowned items.

Status quo bias

Preference for existing conditions over change.

Optimal default

Choosing default options in decision-making regardless of better alternatives.

Confirmation bias

Seeking and interpreting information that confirms preexisting beliefs.

Causal reasoning

Determining what causes what using factors like causal launching and temporal order.

Posterior probability

Probabilities of a hypothesis being true after evidence consideration.

Recognition heuristic in decision-making

Deciding based on familiar options assuming they are correct.

Fluency heuristics

Making decisions based on how easily an option comes to mind.

Delay discounting effect

Devaluing future rewards in favor of immediate rewards.

Self-control and delay discounting

Self-control is essential for resisting immediate temptations.

Self-control changes across lifespan

Children struggle with it; adolescents are impulsive; older adults may decline in it.

Conflict monitoring and resolution

Processes that detect and resolve conflicts between thoughts for self-control.

Deductive reasoning

Logical reasoning where conclusions come from general premises.

Lexical Decision Task

Determining if a string forms a valid word to measure reaction time.

Word Frequency Effect

Recognition is faster for high-frequency words than low-frequency ones.

Affective Priming

Emotional reactions to one stimulus can influence responses to another.

Research Focus on Color Perception

Examining how language may impact color perception.

Framing Effect

The way information presentation affects decision-making.