Thinking and Problem-Solving

These flashcards cover key concepts related to thinking and problem-solving, including types of thinking, cognitive processes, decision-making influences, and creativity.

Executive Functioning

A set of higher-level cognitive processes including planning, organizing, and goal-oriented tasks.

Prefrontal Cortex

The part of the brain where executive functioning processes are mainly processed.

Divergent Thinking

Creative and non-linear thinking that explores many possible solutions.

Convergent Thinking

Logical thinking that narrows down options to one single answer.

Schema

A mental framework that allows us to organize knowledge, beliefs, concepts, and situations.

Assimilation

The process of fitting new information into an existing schema.

Accommodation

The process of modifying or creating a new schema when new information does not fit.

Concepts

Mental groupings of similar objects, events, or ideas based on shared qualities.

Prototypes

The ideal version in our mind that represents a concept.

Trial & Error

A problem-solving method that involves trying out multiple possibilities to find a solution.

Heuristics

Rule of thumb or guidelines used in decision making rather than step-by-step methods.

Algorithm

A method following a set of step-by-step instructions to achieve a precise solution.

Priming

The process where exposure to a stimulus influences how we respond to a subsequent stimulus.

Framing

The way information is presented that influences decisions and judgments.

Mental Set

The tendency to approach problems in a particular way, often based on past successes.

Gambler's Fallacy

The belief that a previous random event affects the outcome of a future random event.

Sunk-Cost Fallacy

The tendency to continue a task based on the amount already invested, even if it's no longer beneficial.

Creativity

The ability to generate new ideas and new ways of thinking.

Functional Fixedness

The tendency to see objects only in terms of their traditional usage, limiting creativity.