Chapter 9: Language and Thought

Language

A system for communicating with others using signals that are combined according to rules that convey meaning.

productive (spoken & written) or receptive (understanding)

Phonemes

smallest sound units

Morphemes

smallest language unit that carry meaning (prefixes, suffixes).

Grammar

System of rules that enables humans to communicate with one another.

Syntax (Grammar)

How words can be combined to form phrases & sentences (word choice, tense, placing words & phrases in the right order)

Semantics

Deriving meaning from language

Critical or sensitive periods

childhood represents ________ period for mastering certain aspects of language

Babbling stage (Language Milestones)

Prelinguistic- cooing and b___________, starts at 4 months

One-word stage (Language Milestones)

Productive language- a child speaks mostly in single words, more receptive language, 10-12 months

Telegraphic Speech/Two-Word Stage (Language Milestones)

two-word statements

Uses syntax - order words into sentences, begins at about age 2

Overgeneralize

Happens around age 3, apply a grammatical rule in cases where it doesn't apply.

Statistical Learning

Infants learn language through this. they are able discern word breaks and analyze which syllables most often go together.

Cognitive psychologists

study how we use mental images, create concepts, solve problems, and make decisions and form judgments.

Concepts

schemas, mental groupings of similar objects, events, ideas, or people Helps us categorize & navigate our world.

Prototypes

most typical instance or best example of a particular concept

Exemplars

Individual instances, held in memory, of a concept or category

Mental set

tendency to approach a problem with a mind-set that has worked in the past

Fixation (functional fixedness)

mental or perceptual set, that may prevent us from taking the fresh perspective that would lead to a solution.

algorithm

methodical, logical rule or procedure

heuristic/shortcut

simpler strategy that is usually speedier than an algorithm but is also more error prone.

Insight

not strategy-based solution, but rather a sudden flash of inspiration for a solution.

Kahneman

His work showed impact of cognitive biases, showing how the interplay between these systems often leads to systematic errors in judgment.

Representative Heuristic

Placing a person or object in a category if that person or object is similar to one's prototype for that concept

Availability Bias/ Heuristic

People estimate the likelihood of an event based on how much it stands out in their mind, that is, how much it's available as a mental reference/concept.

Framing

How an issue is presented, or framed, can significantly affect thought processes, judgments, and decisions leading to a cognitive bias.

Sunk-Cost Fallacy

a person is reluctant to abandon a course of action because they have invested heavily in it

Confirmation bias

predisposes a person to verify rather than challenge our hypotheses (motivated reasoning)

Gambler's Fallacy

Failure to recognize the independence of chance events, leading to the mistaken belief that one can predict the outcome of a chance event on the basis of the outcomes of past chance events.

Overconfidence

cognitive bias that impacts decision making- when confidence outweighs correctness

Convergent thinking

Narrows the available problem solutions to determine the single best solution, linear, systematic- aptitude tests

Divergent thinking

Expands the number of possible problem solutions (creative thinking that diverges in different directions), multiple answers

Expertise (five ingredients of creativity.)

well-developed knowledge, mental building blocks

Imaginative thinking skills (five ingredients of creativity.)

see things in novel ways, recognize patterns, make connections

Venturesome personality (five ingredients of creativity.)

seeks new experiences, preserves, tolerates risk

Intrinsic motivation (five ingredients of creativity.)

driven by interest

Creative environment (five ingredients of creativity.)

environments that support innovation, team-building & communication

Wernicke Area

left hemisphere: temporal lobe. region of the brain that contains motor neurons involved in the comprehension of speech

Broca Area

left hemisphere: frontal lobe associated with speech production and articulation

Aphasia

loss of ability to understand or express speech, cause by brain damage