Cognition, Metacognition, and Problem Solving Overview

Cognition

Mental activities related to thinking, knowing, remembering, and communicating.

Cognitive Psychology

Focuses on mental processes, including concepts, problem-solving, decision-making, and judgment formation.

Metacognition

Awareness and understanding of one's own thought processes; 'thinking about thinking.'

Image

Mental visual representation that captures the essence but not the exact details (e.g., remembering highlights of a person's face).

Symbol

Abstract units (primarily words) representing objects or qualities.

Concept

Mental groupings of similar objects, events, or ideas (e.g., 'cats').

Prototype

The best example of a category, incorporating key features.

Category Shifts

Memory aligns new information with category prototypes.

Schema

Framework that organizes and interprets information.

Assimilation

Integrating new info into existing schemas.

Accommodation

Adjusting schemas based on new experiences.

Creativity

The ability to generate new and valuable ideas.

Convergent Thinking

Logical, systematic, leads to one correct answer.

Divergent Thinking

Generating multiple solutions; encourages creativity.

Functional Fixedness

Viewing objects only in their usual functions.

Intuition

Automatic, effortless thoughts rather than conscious reasoning.

Algorithm

Step-by-step procedures ensuring a solution (e.g., formulas).

Heuristics

Simplified strategies or 'rules of thumb'; may lead to errors.

Availability Heuristic

Estimating likelihood based on how easily examples come to mind.

Representativeness Heuristic

Judging likelihood based on resemblance to typical examples, often ignoring other data.

Insight

Sudden realization of a solution, often involving the brain's right temporal cortex.

Confirmation Bias

Seeking information that confirms existing beliefs.

Fixation

Inability to see a problem from a new perspective.

Overconfidence

Overestimating the accuracy of beliefs and judgments.

Belief Perseverance

Clinging to initial beliefs even when they are discredited.

Belief Bias

Tendency for existing beliefs to distort logical reasoning.

Framing Effect

The way information is presented influences decisions.

Nudge

Framing choices to promote beneficial decisions.