Week 8: Language & Thought

A set of vocabulary flashcards summarizing key concepts related to language and thought as discussed in the lecture.

Language

A set of symbols used for communication.

Phoneme

The smallest units of sound in a language.

Morpheme

The smallest units of a language that convey meaning.

Syntax

The system for using words and word order to convey meaning.

Pragmatics

The practical aspects of using the language including speech, pace, gestures, and body posture.

Critical period

A window of time in development during which certain influences are necessary for appropriate formation of the brain.

Sensitive period

A point in development during which the brain is more susceptible to influences.

Broca's Area

Critical for speech production.

Wernicke's Area

Critical for language comprehension.

Linguistic relativity hypothesis

The idea that the vocabulary in a language influences how speakers think about objects or concepts.

Heuristic

A shortcut to solving problems that does not guarantee a correct solution.

Mental set

The tendency to use problem-solving strategies that have always worked in the past.

Functional fixedness

The tendency to view objects as having only one function.

Confirmation bias

The tendency to look for information that meets our expectations.

Representativeness heuristic

The assumption that individuals share characteristics of the category of which they are a member.

Availability heuristic

Judging easily-recalled events as more common based on recent experiences.

Bounded rationality

A method that minimizes cognitive effort necessary to make decisions when information or options are limited.

Emotional Decision Making

Making decisions based on emotions rather than pure reason.