PSYC1101 - COGNITION

Cognitive Psychology

area of psychology that studies mental processes such as thinking, memory, planning, reasoning, attention and perception.

INATTENTIONAL BLINDNESS

Our brain ignores the other things we are not paying attention to, WE MISS things that we are not looking for because our attention is already preocuppied.

ATTENTIONAL BIAS:

the tendency to pay more attention to certain types of information while ignoring other information.

for e.g. want to buy red car, start seeing red cars everywhere

CHANGE BLINDNESS

We're very bad at noticing even large changes due to failure update (between different views)

Future search

looking for a single basic feature

CONJUNCTION SEARCH

more complex features (more than one basic feature), which requires selective attention because we have to actively look for it (doesn't pop out to us)

FEATURE INTEGRATION THEORY:

When you look at something, your brain doesn't immediately see it as a whole object.

Brain picks up what stands out automatically (colour, shape etc)

Top down attention

Purposeful,

Deliberately choose what to pay attention to,

however the filter isn't perfect because when someone calls your name...

Bottom up attention

Not-purposeful

when something grabs your attention automatically. hearing someone call out your name

MEMORY

processes that allow us to record, store, and later retrieve experiences and information

3 STAGES OF MEMORY: 1

Sensory memory - brief high capacity, representation of what is being sensed 1-5 seconds

3 STAGES OF MEMORY: 2

Working memory - a limited capacity system that temporarily stores and processes information 20-30 seconds if not actively processed.

7 items (like phone no)

3 STAGES OF MEMORY: 3

Long term memory - has no known capacity, primary and recency effect

Types of memory: Explicit memory

memories that require conscious or intentional memory retrieval

Types of memory: Implicit memory

memory that influences our behaviour without conscious awareness

Example of Implicit memory

Brushing teeth and riding a bike

Types of memory: Declarative

Episodic (personal experiences) + Semantic (general knowledge)

STATE DEPENDENT & MOOD-CONGRUENT RECALL

when it is easier to recall memories and events that match your emotions (associated memories)

What part of the brain is important for declarative memory and memory consolidation?

Hippocampus

what part of the brain is important roles for emotional emotions?

amygdala

Retrograde Amnesia

when the individuals cannot remember anything from BEFORE the accident

Anterograde amnesia

when the individual remembers the past but is now unable to make long term memories

Infantile Amnesia

the inability to remember events from early childhood

Dementia

general term for a group of conditions that cause a decline in memory, thinking, and everyday functioning.

Alzheimer's disease

a progressive brain disorder that is the most common cause of dementia

HYPERTHYMESTIC SYNDROME

able to remember everything linked to specific emotions such as pain

MEMORY PALACE TECHNIQUE

when you attach a spacial location or object to the thing you want to remember (make a story) in order to help with recall.

SCHEMAS

mental frameworks that help us function

e.g. when you walk into a restaurant yk what to do (steps)

Heuristics

mental shortcuts used to make quick decisions.

E.G. look at a restaurant that is rated 4.8, brain thinks its good without delving deep into the comments