Study_Guide_Exam1Text5

Cognitive Psychology

The scientific study of mental processes such as perception, memory, and reasoning.

Representation

Knowledge possessed and information stored in memory.

Process

An operation performed on an external stimulus or an internal representation.

Aristotle's Doctrine of Association

Mental life explained in terms of ideas and associations, emphasizing contiguity, similarity, and contrast.

Sensory Memory

An initial stage that holds incoming information for a brief period, allowing for the retention of sensory stimulation.

Template Matching Theory

A pattern recognition theory that treats a pattern as an unanalyzed whole, recognized by degree of overlap with stored templates.

Feature Recognition

A pattern recognition approach that describes a pattern by identifying its separable elements or features.

Bottom-up Processing

Processing that begins with sensory input and is driven purely by external stimuli.

Top-down Processing

Processing that originates in the brain, informed by prior knowledge and expectations.

Attention

The cognitive process of selectively focusing on specific information while ignoring other stimuli.

Inattentional Blindness

The failure to perceive an unexpected stimulus in plain sight when attention is focused elsewhere.

Change Blindness

The inability to detect changes in a visual scene when attention is diverted from the changing objects.

Dichotic Listening

A psychological test that studies selective attention by presenting different messages to each ear.

Automaticity

The ability to perform tasks with little or no conscious effort due to extensive practice.

Visual Search

The process of searching through a visual display for specific targets.

Stroop Effect

A demonstration of interference in reaction time when attempting to name the color of a word that spells a different color.

Algorithms

A methodical, step-by-step procedure for solving a problem that guarantees a correct solution.

Heuristics

A mental shortcut or rule of thumb that simplifies decision-making but may not guarantee a correct solution.

Gestalt Principles

Rules that describe how the brain organizes visual elements into groups or unified wholes.

Recognition by Components Theory (RBC)

A theory of object recognition proposing that objects are recognized by identifying their component geons.

View Invariance

The property of geons that allows them to be recognized from different viewpoints.

Affordances

The possibilities for interaction offered by an object, perceived by an individual.

Declarative Memory

A type of long-term memory that involves the conscious recollection of facts and events.

Non-declarative Memory

A type of long-term memory that does not require conscious thought, reflecting skills and conditioned responses.

Serial Position Effect

The tendency to recall the first and last items in a list better than those in the middle.

Primacy Effect

The tendency to remember items at the beginning of a list better due to more rehearsal.

Recency Effect

The tendency to remember items at the end of a list better because they are still in short-term memory.