Cognitive Psychology Lecture Review

A comprehensive set of 200 vocabulary flashcards drawn from cognitive psychology lecture notes, covering key concepts, theories, and research findings.

Cognitive Approach

A perspective in psychology that emphasizes the role of mental processes in behavior.

Multi-store Model (MSM)

A model of memory suggesting three stages: sensory memory, short-term memory, and long-term memory.

Working Memory Model (WMM)

An extension of MSM that describes the short-term storage and manipulation of information.

Schema Theory

A theory stating that all knowledge is organized into mental structures called schemas.

Cognitive Schema

A mental framework that organizes and interprets information.

Reconstructive Memory

The process of recalling memories that can be influenced by current knowledge and beliefs.

Confirmation Bias

The tendency to search for, interpret, and remember information that confirms one’s preconceptions.

Flashbulb Memory (FBM)

A vivid and detailed memory of a significant event.

Cue Dependency

The idea that memory retrieval is influenced by the presence of specific cues associated with the learned information.

Intuitive Thinking

A quick, automatic, and often subconscious mode of thinking.

Rational Thinking

A slow, deliberate, and controlled mode of thinking that requires cognitive effort.

Empirical Research

Research based on observed and measured phenomena.

Episodic Buffer

A component of WMM that integrates information across domains to form a coherent representation.

Phonological Loop

A component of WMM that deals with verbal and auditory information.

Visuo-spatial Sketchpad

A component of WMM that handles visual and spatial information.

Primacy Effect

The tendency to better recall items at the beginning of a list.

Recency Effect

The tendency to better recall items at the end of a list.

Cognitive Neuroscience

The study of brain activity and its relation to thoughts, behaviors, and emotional processes.

Cognitive Dissonance

The psychological discomfort experienced when holding two or more conflicting beliefs or values.

Holistic Approach

An approach that considers the whole system rather than individual parts.

Long-term Memory (LTM)

The storage system responsible for holding large amounts of information for extended periods.

Short-term Memory (STM)

The capacity for holding a small amount of information in an accessible state for a short duration.

Sensory Memory

The initial, brief storage of sensory information.

Atkinson and Shiffrin

Researchers who developed the Multi-store Model of memory.

Baddeley and Hitch

Researchers who developed the Working Memory Model.

Long-term Potentiation

A process involved in strengthening the synapses based on recent patterns of activity.

Neural Correlates

Specific brain structures associated with particular cognitive functions.

Leading Questions

Questions that suggest a certain answer or influence a respondent's recall.

Memory Biases

Systematic errors in recalling memories that reflect cognitive processes.

Encoding

The process of converting information into a form that can be stored in memory.

Storage

The maintenance of encoded information over time.

Retrieval

The process of recalling stored information from memory.

The Iowa Gambling Task

A psychological task used to study decision-making and emotional responses.

Cognitions

All the mental processes that involve knowing, including perception, memory, and decision-making.

Behavioral Consequences

The actions or reactions of individuals in response to external or internal stimuli.

Social Sensitivity

The ethical consideration of how research findings may affect different social groups.

Ethics in Psychology

The standards that govern the conduct of psychological research to ensure participant safety and integrity.

Quantitative Data

Data that can be measured and expressed numerically.

Qualitative Approaches

Research methods that collect non-numerical data to understand concepts, opinions, or experiences.

Triangulation

Using multiple methods or data sources in research to enhance the credibility of the findings.

Rehearsal

The cognitive process of repeatedly practicing information to enhance memory retention.

Empirical Validation

The act of verifying a hypothesis through systematic observation and experimentation.

Introspection

The examination of one’s own conscious thoughts and feelings.

Abstract Thinking

The ability to think about concepts and ideas that are not physically present.

Analytical Thinking

The ability to evaluate and break down information into its component parts.

False Memory

A recollection of an event that did not actually occur.

Fact-checking

The process of verifying information for accuracy.

Social Norms

The unwritten rules and expectations regarding behavior in a group.

Cognitive Load

The amount of mental effort being used in the working memory.

Behavioral Psychology

The branch of psychology concerned with observable behaviors.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

A type of psychotherapy that helps individuals change unhelpful cognitive distortions.

Attention

The cognitive process of selectively concentrating on one aspect of the environment while ignoring others.

Memory Consolidation

The process by which newly acquired information is transformed into a stable form.

BPS Ethics Guidelines

Standards provided by the British Psychological Society to ensure ethical practices in psychological research.

Neuroplasticity

The brain's ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections.

Stereotype

A widely held but oversimplified and generalized belief about a particular group.

Cognitive Function

The mental processes that lead to the acquisition of knowledge and processing of information.

Decision-Making

The cognitive process of making a choice from available alternatives.

Schema Activation

The process by which certain memories are retrieved more easily due to prior experience.

Bias in Decision Making

Systematic deviations from rationality in judgment.

Stress and Memory

The impact of stress on memory formation and recall.

Context Effects

How the environment and context can influence memory retrieval.

Memory Distortion

The alteration of memory due to various factors, leading to inaccuracies.

Cognitive Therapy

A psychotherapeutic approach that focuses on changing dysfunctional beliefs.

Recognition Memory

The ability to identify previously encountered information.

Recall Memory

The ability to retrieve information without cues.

Social Influence

The impact that others can have on an individual's thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.

Longitudinal Study

A research study that follows the same subjects over a period of time.

Cross-sectional Study

A study that analyzes data from a population at a specific point in time.

Mixed Methods Research

Research that combines qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis.

Behavioral Assessment

The systematic evaluation of an individual's behavior through observational methods.

Emotion Regulation

The ability to monitor, evaluate, and modify emotional reactions.

Empathy

The ability to understand and share the feelings of others.

Attentional Bias

The tendency to pay more attention to emotional stimuli.

Self-esteem

An individual's subjective evaluation of their worth.

Cognitive Restructuring

A therapeutic process to change negative patterns of thinking.

Decisional Conflict

The uncertainty about which course of action to take.

Interview Method in Research

A data collection method involving direct dialogue between the researcher and participants.

Surveys in Psychology

Standardized questionnaires used to gather data from a large population.

Cognitive Skills

The mental capabilities used in the process of acquiring knowledge.

Emotional Memory

Memories that are associated with strong emotions.

Imagination Inflation

The phenomenon where imagining an event increases confidence that the event actually occurred.

Heuristics

Mental shortcuts or rules of thumb that simplify decision making.

Anchoring Bias

The tendency to rely too heavily on the first piece of information encountered.

Availability Heuristic

A mental shortcut that relies on immediate examples that come to a person's mind.

Confirmation Bias vs. Hindsight Bias

Confirmation bias favors information that supports pre-existing beliefs; hindsight bias affects how people interpret past events.

False Consensus Effect

The tendency to overestimate the extent to which others share our beliefs and behaviors.

Cognitive Facets of Personality

The ways in which cognitive processes interact with individual personality traits.

Temporal Lobe

The region of the brain responsible for processing auditory information and memory.

Neocortex

The part of the brain involved in higher-order brain functions such as sensory perception, cognition, and motor commands.

Mental Health Disorders

Psychological conditions that significantly impact daily living.

Positive Psychology

A branch of psychology focusing on positive aspects of human life and well-being.

Motivational Factors in Cognition

Incentives that influence the desire to learn or perform tasks.

Descriptive vs. Inferential Statistics

Descriptive statistics summarize data; inferential statistics draw conclusions from data samples.

Longitudinal vs. Cross-sectional Research Designs

Longitudinal studies track changes over time; cross-sectional studies provide snapshots of data at one point.

Factor Analysis

A statistical method used to identify related variables and structures in data.

Meta-analysis

A research method that statistically combines the results of multiple studies.

Prior Knowledge and Learning

The role that existing knowledge plays in acquiring new information.

Learning Styles

The preferred way an individual processes information.

Cognitive Load Theory

A theory concerning the capacity of working memory and its effect on learning.