cognitive processes exam review 1

approach to studying cognition- representationalist

perspective that concepts can be represented in the mind; the world is represented in our minds such that cognitive processes can operate on the representations

approach to studying cognition- embodied cognition

focuses on bodily interactions with the environment; memory of a text is better when people act it out

approach to studying cognition- biological perspective 

based not on the manipulation of symbols, but rather on networks of connections looeely analogous to networks of neurons 

principle of scientific method- empircism

understanding is obtained through systematic observation 

principle of scientific method- determinism

understanding behavior involves the identification of its causes and their relation to the behavior

principle of scientific method-testability

theories should be stated such that they can be evaluated through observation

principle of scientific method-parsimony 

preference for simple explanations (over complicated explanations 

experimental studies

demonstrate cause and effect relationships, independant and dependant variables

correlational studies

examine the relationship between two variables, but without manipulating them, but just because two things are related does not mean one causes the other

case studies 

in depth investigations of a single person or small group, often used when studying rare or unique situations 

commonly used measured within cognitive psychology- accuracy

common in research designs in which there are right and wrong responses

commonly used measured within cognitive psychology- response time

measure how long it takes to respond to stimulus

commonly used measured within cognitive psychology- priming

exposure to one stimulus influences the response to a later stimulus 

introspection perspective

relfecting on and reporting ones own subjective experience

behavior persepctive

focuses on observable behavior only, not thoughts or mental processes

metacognition and its processes 

knowledge or awareness of our cognition (thinking about thinking), modification of our own cognitive processes (rereading a sentence we dont understand)

metacognitive judgement- JOL

assessment about how well something is learned, can help guide study strategies, but often inaccurate in what we know

metacognition processes- monitoring

evaluating our own cognition, assessing what im cur

metacognition processes- control

actions that change or regulate our cognition

metacognitive judgements- direct access view

having direct access to our memory traces; directly assess the current strength of a memory or assess change in strength

metacognitive judgements- belief/theory based judgements

based on remembering content of beliefs or knowledge, based on info from long term memories

metacognitive judgements- cue untilization view 

based metacognitive judgements on inferences made from cues, accuracy dependent on validity of cues

cue utilization experience based judgements

can be based on an experienced process

cue u view- intrinsic cues

characterisitcs of learning material- relationhsip between words

cue u view extrinsic cues 

conditions at encoding, masses vs spaced study 

what is frontal lobe important for

emotional regulation and decision making, phineas gage

brocas aphasia

brocas area in left frontal temporal lobe; damage here causes difficult producing speech

wernickes aphasia 

left temporal lobe close to front of occipital lobe, damage here causes deficit in language comprehension and meaningful language production 

hippocampus

located in medial temporal lobes, resonsible for long term memories

axon

extention from neuron nucleus where electrical impulse in nucleus occurs, carries electrical signals

dendrites 

extention from neurons that recieve chemical messages (neurotransmitters) from other neurons 

synapse 

space between neurons where neurotransmitters are released and recieved 

order that neurotransmitter are processed

synthesis, storage, release, binding, deactivation

lateralization

two hemispheres of the brain are responsible for different types of functional specializations, language processes in left hemisphere, right hemisphere responsivle for spatial awareness and facial recognition

EEG (electroencephalography)

records brain activity or large sections of neurons from different areas if the scalp 

MEG (magnetoencephalography)

records brain activity or large sections of neurons from different areas if the scalp - but uses a magnet that is placed over the head

TMS (transcranial magnetic stimulation)

method of temporarily stimulating or surpressing neurons- using a magnetic field

tDCS (transcranial direct current stimulation)

method of temporarily stimulating or surpressing neurons- using an electrical current

PET (position emission tomography)

technqiue that images neuron activity in the brain through radioactive markers in the bloodstream

fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging

MRI technique that images brain during a task, but has lower temporal resolution , neural activity associated with deception

forward inference

data driven reasoing process, derive new conclusions; engagement of psychological processes by task activated brain area associated with psych process

reverse inference 

reasoning from activation of an area to a given function ; inferring the use of a specific cognitive function from brain activation could be done if the specific cognitive function is activated 

sensory system

processes the sensations coming into each sense organ and allows us to understand and interpret the sensations we recieve

visual system

sense organ (eye), receptor cells (rods and codes in retina), nerve conduit to brain (optic nerve) brain area where information is processes (primary visual cortex)

visual system- transduction

process of transforming raw senosry imagery into neural impulses

trichromatic theory

color vison is accomplished through a pattern of activation across three types of cones

opponent process theory

color vison is accomplished through a pattern of activation excited or inhibited by pairs of colors

distal stimulus

stiumulus in the environment

proximal stimulus

stimulus as it is presented in the mind

auditory system 

1- sense organ (ear)

2- receptor cells - hair cells (convert sound waves to neural impulses

3- nerve conduit to brain auditory nerve (carries neural impulses to auditry cortex)

4- brain region (primary auditory cortex

primary auditory cortex

recieing area in temporal lobe, begins processing the sound information

top down processing

knowledge, memory, expectations influence how inffo in is processed, high order processes impact how sensory info is interpreted

bottom up processing 

processing determined by physical characteristics or pattern of stimulus, detect simple features and integrated into more complex features 

load theory- high perceptual load

no/reduced resources to process distractors, all resources taken up by tasks and distractor does not get processes

load theory- low perceptual load

resources available to process all stimuli including distractor getting processes

inattentional blindness 

failure to perceive an object without attention 

gestalt principle- similarity

grouping of objects based on similarity g

gestalt principles- proximity

grouping of objects based on how close they are to eachother

gestalt principle- closure 

see objects as a whole even if parts are missing or blocked 

gestalt principles good continuation

objects percieved as continuous if expected to continue

gestalt principle pragnanz

perceive the organization of objects in the simplest way possible

gestalt principle- ventral pathway

“what” pathway for object recognition; identifying a cup

gestalt princple- dorsal pathway

“where/how” pathway for spatial/action guidance; reaching and grasping the cup

gestalt principle

perception occurs through the application of a set pf organizational principles that follow from thr physical processes we know occur in the natural world

what is the primary process involved in face perception and how does ir affect memory

holistic perception, percieving faces as a whole, individual features are still encoded

what is ore (other race effect)

better recognition of faces of ones own race, compared to faces of a different race

what is attention 

controlled or focused on task/stimuli, can be “capured”, select tasl releveant stimuli or switch tasks/activties 

automatic processing

processing that is not controlled and does not tax cognitive resources, without conscious or intention; reading in a native or well practiced language

controlled processing

processing due to an intention that consumes cognitive resources , require conscious effort and consume attentional resources often at a cost with respect to response time and accuracy

how does the stroop task relate to automatic processing

demonstrates how automatic processes can interefere with controlled ones, shows how hard it is to suppress automatic processing in favor of controlled processing

how is information filtered

early filtering (based on physical characteristics) and late filtering (all info processed for meaning, only some reaches conscious awareness)

broadbents filter model

sensory information - sensory memory - filter - short term memory

• filter info based on physical aspects like loudness and location 

treismans attenuation model

sensory info - sensory memory- attenuator- dictonary unit- short term memory

• can process info at physical level, linguistic level, or semantic

cocktail party effect

phenomenon where you are able to focus your attention on a single conversation in a noisy environment while tuning out other background noise, brain uses selective attention to filter out irrelevant sounds

how does feature binding happen according to feature integration theory (FIT)

process brain uses to combine individual features of an object so you dont just see “red” and “circle: but “red circle”

feature integration theory (FIT) stage 1

preattentive stage, automatic processing , you see basic properties (like color and shape) but havent combined them yet

feature integration theory (FIT) stage 2

focused attention stage, basic properties are now combined

simon effect

interference in response due to inconsistency between the response type or locstion and the stimulus

sustained attention

ability to maintain focus on a task or stimulus over an extended period of time, like studying without getting distracted

selective attention

ability to focus on one piece of information/task while ignoring distractions; like listening to your friend talk in a noisy restaurant

mind wandering

when your thoughts drift away from the tasks at hand and focus on unrelated internal thoughts, feelings, or daydreams

reward based attention

value-driven, something is expected or personal significance of a stimulus

threat based attention 

survival-driven fear based, towards potential dangers whether real or perceived

what are the three processes of memory

encoding- info enters memory

storage- info is kept in memory

retrieval - can be intentional and unintentional

modal model of memory

sensory memory - short term memory - long term memory

how does info get into long term memory

encoding, rehearsal repetition, and elaborative repetition 

sensory memory

includes memories of raw, unprocesses sensory info, ; allows you to process environmnent just long enough to decide if you want ti pay attention to it

• can hold lots of sensory infro breifly but all transferred to STM

  • iconic (.3-.5 sec) echoic (2-4 sec)

short term memory

intermediate memory storage that begind processing perceptual information transferred from sensory memory

• 7 plus or minus 2 items stored for 15-30 sec

working memory

actively hold and manipulate info, capacity is limited , occurs while attention is active

baddeleys model- visuospatial sketchpad

proccesses and stores visual and spatial information like colors, shapes, spatial positions and movement, overloading it with visual tasks can disrupt it

• shares info with central execeutive and episodic buffer

baddeleys model- phonological loop

processes and stores verbal and auditory information like spoken language, written words, numbers, and sounds, articulatory suppression can disrupt it

-feeds info to central executive and LTM

baddeleys model- episodic buffer 

integrates information from different sources into a single episode, combines visal, spaital, and verbal info and LTM

• acts as workplace for pulling together data from visuospatial sketchpad

baddeleys model- central executive

directs attention and coordinates other subsystems, mental fatigue can disrupt it