Studied by 11 people
Cognition
The mental act of processing, understanding, and possibly communicating information.
Concepts
Mental groupings/categories.
Prototypes
The best example of a concept.
Creativity
Being able to create new and valuable items/ideas.
Convergent Thinking
Narrowing information to determine one answer.
Divergent Thinking
Thinking in a different direction.
Algorithms
Every possible step is taken.
Insight
The light bulb just turns on, a realization.
Heuristics
Rules of thumb, shortcuts, trusted methods.
Representative Heuristic
Decide course of action, based on how close to a prototype the problem is.
Conjunction Fallacy
Pair two things together because they “seem'“ like they should be.
Availability Heuristic
What you are thinking about or know at the time dictates problem solving.
Fixation
Getting stuck in one way to solve problems.
Mental Set
Only repeating what worked in the past.
Functional Fixedness
Seeing an objects function as set and unchanging.
Heuristic Misuse
Shortcuts can lead to mistakes.
Framing
How a problem is presented has a huge effect on how we choose to solve it/deakl with it.
Belief Perseverance Phenomenon
Even with contradicting information, we cling to our beliefs.
Phonemes
Basic sounds necessary to a language.
Morphemes
Smallest unit of language with meaning.
Grammar
A system of rules for language.
Semantics
Meanings of words/language.
Syntax
Order of words in a sentence.
Babbling Stage
Variety of sounds made by babies (4 months).
One-Word Stage
One word/morpheme (1 year).
Two-Word Stage
Two word sentences, nouns and verbs (2 years).
Telegraphic speech
B.F Skinner’s Theory
All language and grammar is learned.
Noam Chomsky’s Theory
Some language abilities are inborn and just need to be developed/fulfilled.
Linguistic Relativity/Linguistic Determanism
Our thoughts influence our speech and vice versa.
Visualization
Process where someone sees the solutions or imagines themselves doing something.
Memory
Learning that is held overtime through encoding, storage, and retrieval.
Sensory Memory
Very short and immediate memory.
Short Term/Working Memory
Active incoming and/or retrieved memories.
Long Term Memory
Where we keep everything we’ve retained (warehouse). She’s unlimited.
Encoding
Putting the information in there.
Storage
Information is retained/saved.
Retrieval
Information is brought back.
Flashbulb Memory
Clear/vivid memories of surprising and/or important events.
Hyperthymesia
Incredible autobiographical memory.
Mnemonists
Ability to remember incredibly long lists of items and information.
Automatic Processing
Encode information without trying.
Parallel Processing
Encode information while doing other things.
Effortful Processing
When something takes effort and attention to remember.
Rehearsal
Repeating or actively working with material.
Mnemonic Devices
Memory tricks/techniques.
Hermann Ebbinghaus
Effortful Processing Researcher.
List of nonsense syllables
Ebbinghaus Theories
a. Amount remembered depends on the time spent learning.
b. After learning, rehearsal increases retention.
c. Material immediately before or during sleep=no retention.
d. Learning/forgetting curve (learn/forget quickly).
Next-In-Line Effect
When you are part of a line/order of things your worst memory is of the person right next to you.
Spacing Effect
We retain information better when rehearsed over time.
Serial Position Effect
With a list of items, the first and last tend to be remembered much better than the middle items.
Primacy
First/early items are paid attention to.
Recency
Last/most recent items are paid attention to.
Self-Reference Effect
We remember personally meaningful things better.
Meaning/Semantic Encoding
Creating/using meaning seems to be the best memory tool.
Ebbinghaus: Meaningful take 1/10 the effort.
Deep processing
Imagery/Mental Pictures/Visual Info
It is easier to remember words that connect to images.
Method of Loci
Create a visual story to follow.
Peg-Word Systems
A system of words creates visuals.
Auditory
Remember a sound alone.
Chunking
Organize information into meaningful groupings.
Hierarchies
Divide information into groups and subgroups.
George Sperling
Sensory memory researcher (3×3 matrices).
Wilder Penfield
There is a single spot for memory.
Ralph Gerard
Memory is electrical.
Elizabeth Loftus
Memory is spread out in the brain.
Memory as Synaptic Change
Memory involves the connections between neurons.
Eric Kandel
Discovered memory as synaptic change. Bro worked with sea snails.
Long Term Potentiation (LTP)
Neural basic for learning and memory. How it sticks around.
Implicit/Procedural Memory
Memory of skills/movements/physical things.
Explicit/Declarative Memory
Memory of stories/facts/etc.
Episodic Memory
Memory of stories and events (an episode).
Cues
Guides/reminders that trigger a memory.
Priming
Multiple cues used to trigger a memory.
Context
Retrieval works better when in the same context as when the memory was encoded.
State Dependent Memory
You’re better at retrieving in the same state as when you encode.
Mood Congruent Memory
Emotion helps to trigger retrieval, because it played a role in encoding.
Ebbinghaus’ Forgetting Curve
Forgetting information suddenly, and what’s left is secure.
Interference
Our memory is impacted by competing information.
Proactive
Old information hurts/blocks encoding of new information.
Retroactive
New information hurts/blocks retrieval of old information.
Positive Transfers
Previous information helps form new memories.
Motivated Forgetting
We often revise our own memories (sometimes willingly, sometimes due to accepted misinformation).
Repression
Freudian defense mechanism where we try to forget/push stuff into the unconscious.
Misinformation Effect
Incorrectly filled in=misremembering.
Source Amnesia
We struggle to remember the source of a memory, so we claim it as our own.
Deja Vu
“I’ve had this happen before.”
Sir Francis Galton
English scientist that invented ways to measure people. No babies.
Eugenics
Have superior people mate, and inferior should avoid reproducing.
Alfred Binet
French psychologist that developed tests for schools to allow everyone to get an education.
Mental Age
Age that corresponds to performance level.
Lewis Terman
Stanford professor that gave IQ tests to less intelligent people. Racist.
Stanford-Binet Test
The first IQ test.
Aptitude Test
Predicts future ability/success.
Achievement Test
Reflects what you’ve learned.
WAIS-R
Wechsler adult intelligence test-revised.
General IQ Tests
Intended to give a general idea of how intelligent someone is.
3 Principles of Test Construction
Standardization, reliability, and validity.
Standardization
We define scores by comparing to others.
Flynn Effect
Intelligence scores are going up.
Normal/Bell Curve
68% within 1 standard deviation and 94% within 2 standard deviation.
Reliability
A test doesn’t have to be good, just consistent.
Note 
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