AP Psychology - Unit 5

Prototype

Prototype

mental image or the best example of a specific concept

Convergent Thinking "Logic"

focusing on coming up with the single, well-established answer to the problem

Divergent Thinking "Imagination"

exploring many possible solutions (creativity)

Trial and Error

trying a number of different solutions and ruling out those that do not work

Algorithms

set of step-by-step procedures that provides the correct answer to a particular problem

Heuristics

educated guess based on prior experiences (mental shortcuts)

Representative Heuristic

comparing present situation to most representative mental prototype

Avalibility Heuristic

decisions on examples and information that immediately spring to mind

Mental Set

people use solutions that have worked in the past

Functional Fixedness

view problems only in their usual manner

Overconfidence

tendency to overestimate our own knowledge, skill, or judgement

Hindsight Bias

"I knew it all along" events as more predictable than they really are

Framing

the aquired response to the formerly neutral stimulus

Alfred Binet

french psychologist invented first practical IQ test

g factor

(general intelligence factor that underlies all intelligent activity) Charles Spearman

Fluid Intelligence

ability to reason think flexibly (dininish with adult aging)

Crystallized Intelligence

accumulation of knowledge, facts/skills (increase with age)

Howard Gardner

theory of multiple intelligences (8 types)

Wechsler Intelligence Scales (WAIS)

intelligence was made up a number of different mental abilities rather than a single general intelligence factor

Flynn Effect

IQ scores have been rising worldwide

Achievement Tests

designed to measure person's level of skill/knowledge in a specific area

Aptitude Tests

assess what a person is capeable of doing or to predict

Reliability "Consistency"

the tendency of a test to produce the same scores again and again each time it is given to the same people

Test-Retest Reability

best for intelligence, administering a test twice at two different points in time

Split-Half Reliability

comparing the results of one half of a test with the results from the othet half

Validity

the degree in which a test actually measures what it's supposed to measure

Content Validity

test measures all aspects of what it is designed to measure

Predictive

test accurately forecasts preformance on a future measure

Normal Distribution

bell-shaped curve in which the majority of scores lie near or around the average score

Recall

being able go access the information without bring cued (fill in the blank test without word bank)

Recognition

identifying information after experiencing it again (multiple choice test)

Relearning

the process by which we learn something for the second time. This learning process often occurs faster than the first time (study for cumulative final)

Encoding

the processing of information into the memory system

Storage

the creation of a permanet record of the encoded information

Retreival

the calling back of stored information on demand when it is needed

Iconic Memory

visuao

Echoic Memory

auditory

Haptic Memory

touch

Maintenence Rehersal

straight repeating of information in order to memorize it

Chunking

process of taking individual pieces of information (chunks) and grouping them into larger units

Working Memory

system in your brain that allows you to temporarily retain and manipulate the stored information involved in a complex process

Implicit "Unconscious" Memory

information that you remember unconsciously and effortlessly

Procedural Memory

how to preform a specific task

Explicit "Conscious" Memory

Information that you have to consciously work to remember

Sematic Memory "Facts"

memories of facts, concepts, names, and other general knowledge

Episodic Memory "Events"

long-term memory that involves the recollection of specific events, situations, and experiences

Prospective Memory

remembering to complete a task in the future

Long-Term Potentiation

strengthening of a synaptic connection that happens when the synapse of one neuron reoeatedly fires and excites another neuron (Kandel & Schwartz)

Forgetting Curve

the exponential loss of information shortly after learning it (Hermann Ebbinghaus)

Retrogade Amnesia

cannot remember things that happened before the event that caused their amnesia

Anterogade Amnesia

condition in which a person is unable to create new memories after an amnesia-inducing event

Serial Position Effect

when we try to retreive a long list of words we usually recall the last words (recency effect) and first words best (primary effect), forgetting the words in the middle

Encoding Failure

occurs when a memory was never formed in the first place (without effort, many memories never form)

Proactive (Previous) Interference

old memories interfere with the retrieval of newer memories

Retroactive (Recent) Interference

newer memories interfere with the retrieval of older memories

Flashbulb Memory

vivid and detailed memories that people create during times of personal tragedy, accident, or emotionally significant world events

Elizabeth Loftus

her extensive reasearch on memory consturuction and false memories and how memory is changeable, it is not always accurate

Misinformation Effect

exposed to misleading information, we tend to misremember

Method of Loci

association of words on a list with visualization of places on a farmilliar path

Context Dependent Memory

easier recall of information while in the same "context" of environment in which it was acquired

State Dependent Memory

memories that are triggered or enhanced by a person's current mood because of the relationship to memories formed when you were in a similar state