Unit 2B Vocab

Cognition

Cognition

Mental activities associated with thinking

Metacognition

Awareness and understanding of one's own thought and mental processes.

Concepts

Mental groupings of similar objects

Prototype

A mental image or best example of a category (How we sort items essentially).

Creativity

Ability to produce novel and valuable ideas.

Convergent thinking

Narrows problem solutions to determine the best solution.

Divergent thinking

Expands the number of possible problem solutions

Creativity

Ability to produce novel and valuable ideas.

Executive functions

Cognitive skills that work together to enable us to generate, organize, plan and implement goal-directed behavior.

Algorithms

a methodical, logical rule or procedure that guarantees solving a particular problem. Step-by-step procedures guaranteeing a solution.

Heuristics

Simple thinking strategies for quick problem-solving. Mental shortcut that often allows us to make judgements and solve problems efficiently.

Mental Set

Tendency to approach problems in a particular way.

Representativeness Heuristics

Judging likelihood based on how well something matches prototypes.

Availability Heuristics

Estimating likelihood based on availability in memory.

Overconfidence

Overestimating the accuracy of our knowledge and judgments. The tendency to be more confident than correct.

Sunk-cost fallacy

Continuing a venture due to previously invested resources.

Framing

Way an issue is posed

Memory

Persistence of learning over time via encoding

Recall

Retrieving information learned earlier.

Recognition

Identifying previously learned information.

Sensory Memory

Immediate, brief recording of sensory information.

Short-term Memory

Holds a few items briefly before storage or forgetting.

Long-term Memory

Relatively permanent and limitless storehouse of memory.

Working Memory

A newer understanding of short-term memory. Active processing of incoming information and retrieved long-term memory.

Central Executive

Coordinates working memory components of the phonological loop and the visuospatial sketchpad.

Phonological Loop

Processes and briefly holds verbal and auditory information.

Visuospatial Sketchpad

A memory component that briefly holds information about object's appearance and location in space.

Long-term potentiation (LTP)

Increase in synapse's firing potential after brief, rapid stimulation. A neural basis for learning and memory.

Explicit Memory

Retention of memory of facts and experiences one can consciously know.

Effortful Processing

Encoding requiring attention and conscious effort.

Automatic Processing

Unconscious encoding of incidental information.

Implicit Memory

Retention of learned skills independent of conscious recollection.

Iconic Memory

Momentary sensory memory of visual stimuli.

Echoic Memory

Momentary sensory memory of auditory stimuli.