Unit 5: Cognition (copy)

Information Processing Model

Compares the mind to a computer, involving encoding, storing, retaining, and retrieving information.

Attention

Mechanism restricting information processing, requiring selective or divided attention.

Levels-of-Processing Model

Memory depends on how deeply information is processed during encoding, involving shallow, semantic, and deep processing.

Three-Stage Model

Describes sensory memory, short-term memory (STM), and long-term memory in memory systems characterized by time frames.

Short-Term Memory (STM)

Holds limited information for about 30 seconds, involving chunks and Alan Baddeley's working memory model.

Long-Term Memory (LTM)

Relatively permanent memory system with explicit and implicit memory, involving procedural memories and prospective memory.

Organization of Memories

Includes hierarchies, prototypes, schemas, and connectionism in memory organization.

Biology of Long-Term Memory

Involves long-term potentiation, flashbulb memory, and brain regions like the hippocampus in memory processes.

Retrieving Memories

Process of getting information out of memory storage, involving multiple-choice questions, fill-in questions, and retrieval cues.

Cues and Interference

Tip-of-the-tongue phenomenon, proactive and retroactive interference, and misinformation effect in memory retrieval.

Language

System of spoken, written, or signed symbols enabling communication, involving phonemes, morphemes, and grammar rules.

Language Acquisition Stages

Babbling, holophrase, telegraphic speech, and overgeneralization in language development.

Theories of Language Acquisition

Noam Chomsky's universal grammar theory and the language acquisition device.

Thinking

Involves metacognition, problem-solving strategies like algorithms, insight, and reasoning types.

Obstacles to Problem Solving

Fixation, functional fixedness, and biases like confirmation bias and belief perseverance.

Creativity

Ability to think in new ways, involving convergent and divergent thinking, brainstorming, and biases like hindsight bias.

Standardization and Norms

Psychometricians, constructs, and the process of standardizing tests for uniform administration and scoring.

Norms

Scores established from a representative sample used as a standard for assessing subsequent test takers' performances.

Reliability

Ensures consistent scores regardless of test conditions; assessed through test-retest, split-half, alternate form, and interrater reliability methods.

Validity

The extent to which a test accurately measures what it is supposed to measure or predict.

Performance Test

Test where the taker knows what to do in response to questions or tasks.

Observational Test

Assesses typical behavior in a specific context rather than specific tasks.

Self-Report Test

Test where individuals provide information about themselves.

General Mental Ability

Crucial for scholastic performance and cognitively demanding tasks.

Interests

Influence reactions and satisfaction with situations.

Personality

Consistency in behavior across various situations.

Aptitude Tests

Predict future performance; Achievement tests assess current knowledge.

Ethics in Testing

Tests should be developed and used ethically to avoid misuse.

Intelligence

Aggregate capacity to act purposefully, think rationally, and deal effectively with the environment.

Reification

Treating a construct as a tangible object.

Adaptive Behavior

Expressed in conceptual, social, and practical skills.

Factor Analysis

Identifies closely related clusters of factors among groups of items.

Multiple Intelligences

Howard Gardner's theory proposing various types of intelligence beyond traditional measures.

Emotional Intelligence

Ability to perceive, express, understand, and regulate emotions.

Creativity

Ability to generate original, novel, and useful ideas and solutions.

Heritability

Proportion of variation in a population resulting from genetic causes.

Stereotype Threat

Anxiety affecting group members concerned about confirming negative stereotypes in testing situations.