Cognitive Psychology Course Overview and Lab Information

What is cognitive psychology?

The science of how the mind is organized to produce intelligent thought and how it is realized in the brain.

Who is John R. Anderson?

A Professor of Psychology and Computer Science at Carnegie-Mellon University, known for pioneering intelligent tutoring systems.

What significant achievement did Daniel Kahneman receive?

He was awarded the Nobel Prize in 2002 for contributions to Economics.

What was the impact of WWII on the study of psychology?

It challenged Behaviorism and led to the emergence of information theory and cognitive psychology.

What did Wundt contribute to psychology?

He established psychology as the study of conscious experience in 1879.

What was Watson's perspective on psychology?

He defined psychology as the study of behavior, dismissing internal mental activity.

What is the information-processing approach in cognitive psychology?

It breaks cognitive tasks into a set of abstract information-processing steps.

How does cognitive neuroscience relate to cognitive psychology?

It studies how cognition is realized in the brain, linking information processes with brain activity.

What is the significance of neurons in cognitive psychology?

Neurons transmit electrical activity and are crucial for information processing in the brain.

What is the average number of neurons in the human brain?

Approximately 100 billion neurons.

What happens at the synapse between neurons?

A neurotransmitter is released, changing the electrical polarity of the receiving neuron's membrane.

What is an action potential?

A rapid change in electrical polarity of a neuron that occurs when a threshold level is reached.

What is the speed range of spikes traveling down axons?

From 0.5 m/s to 130 m/s, depending on myelination.

What is the role of excitatory and inhibitory inputs in neuron function?

Neurons compute the sum of all excitatory and inhibitory inputs on their dendrites.

What is the importance of cognitive psychology in social sciences?

It serves as the foundation for fields like clinical psychology, social psychology, and linguistics.

What practical applications arise from understanding cognitive psychology?

Improving training systems, designing better computer interfaces, and evaluating eyewitness testimony.

What was a major limitation of Behaviorism according to Chomsky?

It could not account for natural language acquisition.

What is the relationship between cognitive psychology and artificial intelligence?

Cognitive psychology provides insights into modeling human thought processes in AI.

What did the information-processing models contribute to cognitive psychology?

They made cognitive psychology popular and contributed to the decline of Behaviorism.

What is the significance of brain imaging in cognitive neuroscience?

It allows linking information processes with localized brain activity.