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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.
