Cognition

Top-Down Processing

Whole idea (prior expectations) to smaller parts.

Bottom-Up Processing

Smaller parts (sensory info) to whole idea.

Schemas

Preexisting mental concept of how something should look.

Perceptual Set

Tendency to see something as part of a group, speeding up signal processing.

Gestalt Psychology

The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

Figure/Ground

Organizing information into figures that stand apart from the background.

Closure

The mental process of filling in gaps to perceive a complete image.

Proximity

Grouping things together that appear near each other.

Similarity

Grouping things based on their looks.

Constancies

Recognizing that objects remain unchanged despite changes in sensory input.

Apparent Movement

Objects can appear to be moving even when they are not.

Selective Attention

Focusing on one thing while blocking out others.

Inattentional Blindness

Failure to notice something added due to focus on another task.

Change Blindness

Failure to notice a change in a scene.

Cocktail Party Effect

Noticing your name when spoken in a noisy environment.

Binocular Depth Cues

Depth cues that require both eyes to create a 3D image.

Retinal Disparity

Slightly different images cast on each retina used to determine depth.

Convergence

Eyes strain more as objects come closer.

Monocular Depth Cues

Depth cues that can be perceived with one eye.

Interposition

Overlapping images that appear closer.

Relative Size

A smaller object usually appears further away compared to a larger object.

Linear Perspective

Parallel lines converge with distance, like railroad tracks.

Relative Clarity

Hazy objects appear further away.

Texture Gradient

Coarser objects appear closer together.

Concepts

Mental categories used to group objects, events, or characteristics.

Prototypes

Ideal examples used to compare instances of a concept.

Algorithms

Step-by-step strategies that guarantee a solution.

Heuristics

Shortcut strategies for solving problems.

Representative Heuristic

Making judgments based on stereotypes or past experiences.

Availability Heuristic

Making judgments based on immediate recollection or recent events.

Metacognition

Thinking about and reflecting upon the way you think.

Mental Set

Using one strategy repeatedly to solve a problem.

Functional Fixedness

Seeing only one common use for an item.

Sunk Cost Fallacy

Continuing an endeavor because of previously invested resources.

Gambler’s Fallacy

Believing an event is due to happen based on past occurrences.

Divergent Thinking

The ability to think of multiple solutions to a problem.

Convergent Thinking

Thinking that limits creativity to one solution.

Executive Functioning

The ability to generate, organize, and plan goal-directed behaviors.