Cognition

Alfred Binet

1857-1911. French psychologist who developed the first formal test for intelligence.

Algorithm

very specific, step-by-step procedures for solving certain types of problems

analytical intelligence

the ability to break problems down into component parts, or analysis, for problem solving

basic level type

an example of a type of concept around which other similar concepts are organized, such as "dog", "cat", or "pear"

Charles Spearman

1863-1945. English psychologist who proposed the two-factor theory of intelligence consisting of the g factor and the s factor.

cognition (thinking)

mental activity that goes on in the brain when a person is organizing and attempting to understand information and communicating information to others

concepts

ideas that represent a class or category of objects, events, or activities

confirmation bias

the tendency to interpret new evidence as confirmation of one's existing beliefs or theories.

convergent thinking

type of thinking in which a problem is seen as having only one answer, and all lines of thinking will eventually lead to that single answer, using previous knowledge and logic

creative intelligence

the ability to deal with new and different concepts and to come up with new ways of solving problems

creativity

the process of solving problems by combining ideas or behavior in new ways

divergent thinking

type of thinking in which a person starts from one point and comes up with many different ideas or possibilities based on that point

emotional intelligence

the awareness of and ability to manage one's own emotions as well as the ability to be self-motivated, able to feel what others feel, and socially skilled

functional fixedness

a block to problem solving that comes from thinking about objects in terms of only their typical functions

g factor

the ability to reason and solve problems, or general intelligence

gifted

the two percent of the population falling on the upper end of the normal curve and typically possessing an IQ of 130 or above

Heuristic

a general strategy that may help narrow down the possible solutions for a problem. Also known as "rule of thumb"

Howard Gardner

1943-present. cognitive psychologist who has acted as a major proponent on the concept of multiple intelligences. Current theory suggests that nine types of intelligence exist.

insight

when the solution to a problem comes suddenly, also referred to as a "aha!" moment

intellectual disability

an IQ score of 70 (two standard deviations below the mean) or lower along with adaptive behaviors significantly below the expected level for the person's age group

intelligence

the ability to learn from one's experiences, acquire knowledge, and use resources effectively in adapting to new situations or solving problems

intelligence quotient (IQ)

a number representing a measure of intelligence, resulting from the division of one's mental age by one's chronological age and then multiplying that quotient by 100

Lewis Terman

1877-1956. Cognitive psychologist well known for his longitudinal study of gifted children, affectionately referred to as Terman's Termites.

mental set

the tendency for people to persist in using problem-solving patterns that have worked for them in the past

natural concepts

concepts people form as a result of their experiences in the real world

practical intelligence

the ability to use information to get along in life and become successful

problem solving

process of cognition that occurs when a goal must be reached by thinking and behaving in certain ways

prototype

an example of a concept that closely matches the defining characteristics of a concept

Reliability

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

Robert Sternberg

1949-present. proposed the triarchic theory of intelligence which states that intelligence is composed of three different abilities

s factor

the ability to excel in certain areas, or specific intelligence

standardization group

a randomly selected group chosen to represent the population for whom a psychological test is intended. Norms are calculated based off on the scores of the standardization group

stereotype threat

the effect that just being aware of negative stereotypes can result in an individual scoring poorly on intelligence tests

trial and error

problem-solving method in which one possible solution after another is tried until a successful one is found

triarchic theory of intelligence

Sternberg's theory of intelligence that there are three kinds of intelligence: practical, creative, and analytical

Validity

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

Overconfidence

Overestimate ones performance and underestimate risks

Belief perseverance

Maintaining belief in view even after evidence has discredited the belief

Accommodation

Modifying mental ideas or creating new ones to incorporate new info or to add info that doesn’t fit correct framework

Assimilation

Fitting new info into existing frameworks without changing frameworks

(child calling zebra a “horse” because it hits their horse framework)

Framing

The way the issue is posed which can affect decision and judgement

Availability Heuristics

Mental shortcut that relies on immediate examples that come to mind when evaluating something

Representative Heuristics

Judgment based on how well something matches a prototype

Sunk Cost Fallacy

People continue to invest money, time, or effort because they have already invested in it, even when continuing would not be beneficial

Gambler’s Fallacy

Mistaken belief that past events can influence future outcomes even if events are unrelated