PSYC 105 MIDTERM 1

cognitive economy

mental processes that minimize mental effort and maximize processing efficiency

representative heuristic

judging the probability of an event by its similarity to a prototype. this ignores base rate. You can make inaccurate assumptions about someone based on interpretations.

availability heuristic

estimating the likelihood of an occurrence based on how available is it in our minds

hindsight bias

overestimating how well we could have predicted an event after it occurred

confirmation bias

looking for information that supports what you already believe, and overlooking information that contradicts it

top down processing

using what you already know to interpret new information. like if you see a blurry word, your brain using the surrounding sentence to figure out what the word is.

concepts

Mental categories we used to group similar things together. Like the word, dog being a concept that includes different kinds of dogs

schemas

Mental frameworks that help us organize and understand information

framing

How the way information is presented can influence how we think about it. Like 5% chance of winning versus 95% chance of losing

algortihms

Step-by-step methods that are guaranteed to solve a problem. In flexible

breaking down into subproblems

Breaking down a problem into bite-size chunks

analogy

Solving a new problem by using a solution from a similar problem

mental sets

Using complicated solutions with new problems that need simple solutions

functional fixedness

The inability to imagine new uses for familiar objects

phonemes

A small unit of sound that changes meaning. Like bat versus Pat

syntax

Rules for word order.

extralinguistic information

Information outside of words that helps understand meaning, like gestures, facial expressions, and tone.

generativity

Creating an unlimited number of meaningful sentence sentences

one word and two word stages

Children using single words, then combining two words to communicate and express ideas

critical periods of development

A period when someone must experience something for normal development to occur

sensitive periods of development

Period when someone is ready to learn something, but learning can happen later

theories of language aqcuisition

Imitation, natives (innate language acquisition device), social pragmatics (social interaction), general cognitive processing (relies on memory and learning ability)

how sign language is similar to spoken language

Same brain areas involved, Babbling, and exhibits all features of spoken language

bilingualism

Have a heightened awareness of how language is structured and used

abstract thinking

Intelligence is related to the capacity to understand theoretical concepts

general thinking

Reasoning in solving problems across different situations

specific thinking

Ability in a Particular area or type of task

fluid thinking

Capacity to learn new ways of solving problems

crystalized thinking

Accumulated knowledge of the world we gain overtime

multiple intelligences

Gardeners theory that intelligence has different types of abilities rather than one single ability

triarchic model of intelligence

Sternberg theory that intelligence includes analytical, creative, and practical abilities

cultural aspects

The idea that what is considered intelligent behaviour can differ between cultures

calculating IQ

Mental age divided by chronological age times 100

family suggestions about genes influencing intelligence

Family studies confirmed that IQ runs in families, siblings IQ correlate at 0.5, cousins at 0.15

twin suggestions about genes influencing intelligence

So identical correlations of 0.7 to 0.8 fraternal of 0.3 to 0.4 though high, it’s still less than one

poverty and nutrition influences on IQ

Lack of proper nutrition and exposure, may lead to lower IQs as as well as as a decrease and IQ overtime of living in Newport environment

the Flynn effect

The average IQ of the population rises about three points every 10 years

how nature vs nurture contributes to development

genetic predispositions can drive us to select and create particular environment leading to the mistaken appearance of a pure effective nature

Post-hoc fallacy

Assuming that because one event happened after another, the first event caused the second

cohort effects

Differences between groups caused by different historical experiences of groups generations

cross sectional design

Comparing different age groups at one point in time

longitudinal design

Studying the same people over a long period of time

mono operation bias

Drawing conclusions about a concept, based on only one way of measuring or manipulating it

trajectory of prenatal development

Hope Trust, will autonomy shame and doubt, purpose initiative guilt, competence, industry inferiority, Fidelity identity role confusion, love, intimacy isolation, care generativity stagnation, wisdom integrity despair.

how infants learn to coordinate motion

Sitting, crawling, standing, walking, running

how infants achieve major motor milestones

Physical maturity, cultural parenting practises

physical maturation during childhood and adolescence

Puberty

physical ability declining during aging

Muscle, sensory processes, fertility, menopause

stage like cognitive development

Thinking develops through distinct stages with major changes in between

continuous cognitive development model

Thinking develops gradually and continuously rather than in distinct stages

domain general model

Cognitive development involves General changes that affect areas of thinking

domain specific model

Cognitive development occurs separately in different areas or abilities

assimilation

Fitting new information into existing schemas. Like seeing a four legged animal, remembering that you’ve seen a four legged pet that is a dog so then assuming the future animal is a dog

accommodation

A child modifies or creates a new schema to Handal new information. Like knowing your four legged pet as a dog and seeing a four legged cat, and realizing all four legged animals are not dogs

sensorimotor stage

0 to 2 years old learning through senses and actions.

object permanence

understanding an object continues to exist, even when it is not seen

mental representation stage

Mentally picturing objects and events that aren’t currently presented

preoperational stage

2 to 7 years old, when use of symbols in language grows. Thinking is eagle egocentric and conversation is difficult

egocentrism stage

Difficulty understanding other people may see or think about things different

concrete operational stage

Logical thinking about concrete events, better at conversation, but still struggles with abstract idea. 7 to 11 years old.

conservation

Understanding that an amount stays the same, even when it’s appearance changes

formal operational stage

Abstract hypothetical Thinking emerges. Thinking about what if Scenarios 12+ years.

Vygotsky’s scaffolding

Guidance from teachers or parents to help a child complete a task they can’t do alone yet

Vygotsky’s zone of proximal development

The sweet spot between what a child can do a loan versus with help

theory of mind

Understanding that people have their own thoughts, beliefs, feelings, and perspectives

false belief task

A test of whether a child understands that someone can have a belief that is different from reality

how and when children establish emotional bonds with caregivers

From birth. Babies are wired to connect and prefer looking at faces and listening to voices.

easy and difficult temperament

A baby’s emotional style that appears in early life and has a strong genetic component. Some baby smile at everyone while others are cautious and shy

imprinting

In some animals, newborns form, immediate rigid bonds with the first moving thing they see

the strange situation parenting styles

An experiment to see how Infant react when they’re in a room with toys, A stranger enters, Their caregiver leaves, their caregiver returns

Erikson’s model of identity

Adolescence identity versus role confusion

Kohlberg’s levels of morality

Preconventional, conventional, post-conventional levels of describing how moral reasoning develops

preconventional morality

Moral decisions based on avoiding punishment and gaining rewards

conventional morality

Moral decisions, based on following rules and meeting social expectations

postconventional morality

Merle decisions based on principles and values that go beyond existing laws in rule

physiological age

How well a persons body systems are functioning compared with others of the same chronological age

social age

a persons social roles and behaviours compared with others of the same age

stress as a stimuli

Stress is an event or situation that creates demands

stress as a response

mental and physical reactions to stress

stress as a transaction

How we interpret and cope with stress as an interaction between a person and the environment

primary appraisal

Deciding whether an event is harmful or not

secondary appraisal

Deciding whether you have the ability to cope with a stressful situation

social readjustment rating scale

Major life events in the past year that can affect mental and physical health. But it’s flawed because it doesn’t consider coping, and some events may result from stress rather than cause it

selye’s adaptation syndrome

The body is three stage response to prolong stress. Alarm, resistance, exhaustion

resistance

The bodies continues, trying to cope with the stressor while maintaining function

exhaustion

The bodies resources become depleted after prolonged stress, increasing vulnerability to illness

tend and befriend response

A stress response involving protecting others and seeking social support

problem focused

Trying to change or control the situation

emotion focused

Manage feelings when a situation cannot

proactive coping

Seeking information and planning ahead to cope better. Also called informational control

behavioral control

Taking action to change or manage the stressor

cognitive control

Changing how we think about a situation

decisional control

Having choices and a say and what happens

emotional control

Knowing when and how to express or regulate emotions

how the immune system is affected by stress

Stress hormones suppress immune responses, worrying about stress makes it worse, and a lack of supportive friends and family makes recovery harder

role of personality in CHD

Type a personality, competitive, ambitious, and hostile is linked to a higher coronary heart disease risk

role of everyday experiences in CHD

Chronic daily stress, hassles, negative emotions experience risk

psychoneuroimmunology

Study of how the brain and immune system affect each other

psychophysiological illnesses

Authentic illnesses, where emotions and stress contribute to, maintain, or aggravate physical conditions. Like ulcers.

alternative medical approches

Health practises and products used to replace conventional