Language and Thought

These flashcards cover key vocabulary terms related to the concepts of language, thought, and cognition as discussed in Dr. Lisa Smithson's lecture.

Clever Hans

A horse that was believed to have intellectual abilities; often cited as an example of animal cognition.

Linguistic Relativity Hypothesis

The theory that the structure of a language affects its speakers' worldview and cognition.

Vocal Anatomy

The physical structures involved in producing speech sounds.

Sign Language

A visual-gestural language that uses signs to communicate, often used with individuals who are deaf.

Generativity

The capacity of language to create an infinite number of sentences and ideas beyond simple memorization.

Heuristics

Mental shortcuts that ease the cognitive load of making decisions, often leading to a solution more quickly.

Prototype Theory

The idea that we categorize objects based on their best or most typical example within a category.

Functional Fixedness

A cognitive bias that limits a person to using an object only in the way it's traditionally used.

Decision Making

The cognitive process of choosing a course of action from among multiple alternatives.

Insight

The ability to gain a deep understanding of a problem, often resulting in an 'aha' moment.