psychology: Factors Influencing Perception, thinking Processes, & Problem solving

Perception

Process in which our brain organizes & interprets sensory info, transforming it into meaningful objects & events

Bottom up processing

our brain makes sense of information y starting with the small details and building up to complete perception

top down processing

interpreting sensory information based on the larder context, prior knowledge, and expectations

selective attention

process of focusing on a specific aspect of information while ignoring others

cocktail party effect

the ability to focus on a single conversation in a noisy environment while tuning out other stimuli

inattantional blindness

failing to notice an unexpected stimulus in their visual stimuli when their attention is focused on something else

change blindness

failure to notice large changes in ones environment when their attention change occurs simultaneously with a visual diruption.

cognitive psychology

the study of internal mental processes

metacognition

thinking about ones own thinking processes

prototype

a mental image or best example of a category that aids in recognizing and categorizing objects or concepts

schemas

cognitive frameworks or blueprints that help organize and interpret information based on past experiences and knowledge (structure- schemas provide a structure for organizing information in the mind)

assimilation

adding to existing- the cognitive process of fitting new information into existing schemas

accomodation

adjusting- the cognitive process of modifying existing schemas or creating new ones in response to new information.

convergent thinking

cognitive process that focuses on finding a single correct solution to a problem by applying logical steps

divergent thinking

a thought process of method used to generate creative ideas by exploring many possible solutions

functional fixedness

cognitive bias that limits a person to using a object only in the way it is traditionally used.

algorithms

step by step procedures or formulas for solving problems that guarantee a correct solution

heuristics

mental shortcuts or rules of thumb that simplify decision making by reducing the cognitive burden

representativeness heuristics

cognitive shortcut where individuals make judgements about the likelihood of something based on how much it resembles existing stereotypes or typical causes (doctor)

availability heuristic

a mental shortcut that relies on immediate examples that come to a person’s mind when evaluating a specific topic, concept, method, or decision (the news)

Mental Set

a tendency to approach situations in a certain way because that method worked in the past, which can sometimes prevent seeking alternative solutions.

priming

exposure to one stimulus influences the response to a subsequent stimulus, without conscious guidance or intention

framing

how information is presented influences decisions and perceptions

gambler’s fallacy

cognitive bias that occurs when individuals believe that the outcome of a random event is influenced by previous outcomes, even though each event is independent & had no bearing on future results

sunk cost fallacy

cognitive bias where individuals continue investing time, money, or effort into a project or decision because they have already invested so much, even if the returns are poor or the endeavor no longer aligns with their goals.