Problem Solving, Decision Making, and Memory

Vocabulary flashcards covering cognitive problem-solving strategies, decision-making biases, and memory models from Modules 2.2b through 2.5.

Executive Functions

Making decisions, planning for the future, and performing cost-benefit analysis.

Algorithm

A methodical, logical rule or procedure that guarantees solving a particular problem.

Heuristic

A simple thinking strategy that often allows us to make judgements and solve problems quicker, but is more error prone.

Insight

A "sudden" realization of a problem's solution that comes from the subconscious level.

Confirmation Bias

The tendency to look for evidence that supports our preconceptions, and to ignore or distort contradictory evidence.

Fixation

The inability to see a problem from a new perspective.

Mental Set

The tendency to approach a problem in one particular way.

Intuition

An effortless, immediate feeling or thought (subconscious processing), as contrasted with explicit, conscious reasoning.

Representative Heuristic

Judging the likelihood of things in terms of how well they seem to represent particular prototypes (may be stereotypical).

Availability Heuristic

Estimating the likelihood of events based on their availability in memory.

Overconfidence

The tendency to be more confident than correct; to overestimate the accuracy of our beliefs and judgements.

Belief Perseverance

The persistence of one's initial conceptions even after the basis on which they were formed has been discredited.

Framing

The way an issue is posed.

Nudge

Framing choices in a way that encourages people to make beneficial decisions.

Memory

The persistence of learning.

Recall

The retrieval of information.

Recognition

Cue based memory recall (such as in multiple choice questions / MCQs).

Relearning

The number of times it takes to relearn info after forgetting previously learned info.

Encoding

Repeating short term information repeatedly to transfer the short term info into long term memory.

Retrieval

Bringing info to the forefront of the mind from short term or long term memory.

Sensory memory

Memory that is lost if not attended to (inattentional blindness).

Short-term memory

Working memory that is lost if not encoded or rehearsed (basically RAM).

Central executive

Component of memory that focuses attention.

Phonological loop

Repeating a word audibly to keep it in short-term memory.

Neurogenesis

The formation of new neurons.

Long term potentiation (LTP)

Increase in neuron's firing potential after brief rapid stimulation; believed to be the neural basis for learning and memory.

Explicit memory

Memories you can explain that require effortful processing.

Effortful processing

How the brain creates explicit memories.

Automatic processing

How the brain processes implicit memories.

Implicit memory

Memories processed automatically without conscious recall, such as language and movement.

Iconic memory

Sensory image memory lasting a few tenths of a second.

Echoic memory

Momentary memory of auditory stimulus; can be recalled within 3-4 seconds.

Chunking

Splitting concepts into meaningful groups.

Mnemonics

Tying a concept into something already encoded.

Spacing Effect

The quicker you learn, the quicker you forget.

Testing Effect

Every time you recall information, it becomes more embedded in memory.

Shallow Processing

Encoding based on the appearance/sound of words, not their meaning.

Deep processing

Encoding based on the meaning of words (yields better retention).

Semantic memory

Memory correlating to facts/general knowledge.

Episodic Memory

Memory correlating to an event (or episode), for example: Mrs G doing odd hand motions while explaining a word.

Hippocampus

Brain structure that stores memories; functions as the "save button".

Flashbulb Memory

A memory kept clear by an emotionally significant moment or event (such as a traumatic event).