AP Psych Unit 3.5 Vocab

algorithm

A step-by-step method for solving a problem that guarantees a solution but may take too long to implement in some situations.

heuristic

A strategy for solving a problem or coming to a decision that might be efficient, but doesn't guarantee the right decision.

linguistic relativity

A theory of language that states that one's language shapes one's view of reality.

overgeneralization

When one extends a rule where it doesn't apply. For example, when children learn to speak, they often apply standard grammar rules to irregular words.

poverty of stimulus

A hypothesis that humans must have innate language capabilities because we learn our native language in the absence of environmental conditions, such as direct instruction or a large number of correct and incorrect examples.

prototype

A standard or typical example of something that serves as a model for the overall category.