Cognition Part 1: Attention & Perception - Key Terms and Definitions

accommodation

a process in which schema are changed in response to new information

algorithm

A methodical, logical rule or procedure that guarantees solving a particular problem

assimilation

a process in which old or existing schema are used to interpret information

availability heuristic

Estimating the likelihood of events based on their availability on memory; if instances come readily to mind, we presume such events are common

cognition

The mental activities associated with thinking, knowing, remembering, and communicating

convergent thinking

Narrowing the available problem solutions to determine the single best solution

creativity

The ability to produce novel and valuable ideas

divergent thinking

Expanding the number of possible problem solutions; creative thinking that diverges in different directions

executive functions

higher level cognitive processes of planning, decision making, problem solving, action sequencing, task assignment and organization, flexibility in goal selection, and goal-conflict resolution.

framing

The way an issue is posed; how an issue is framed can significantly affect decisions and judgments

functional fixedness

The tendency to perceive an object only in terms of its most common use.

gambler's fallacy

The belief that the odds of a chance event increase if the event hasn't occurred recently

heuristic

A simple thinking strategy that often allows us to make judgements and solve problems efficiently

imagination inflation

the increased likelihood that a person will judge an event as having actually occurred (e.g., during childhood) when they imagine the event before making such a judgment.

mental set

A tendency to approach a problem in one particular way, often a way that has been successful in the past

metacognition

Awareness and understanding of one's own thought processes.

priming

The effect in which recent experience of a stimulus facilitates or inhibits later processing of the same or a similar stimulus.

prototype

A mental image or best example of a category

representativeness heuristic

Judging the likelihood of things in terms of how well they seem to represent, or match, particular prototypes; may lead us to ignore other relevant information

schemas

a collection of basic knowledge about a concept or entity that serves as a guide to perception, interpretation, imagination, or problem solving. For example, the schema "dorm room" suggests that a bed and a desk are probably part of the scene, that a microwave oven might or might not be, and that expensive Persian rugs probably will not be.

sunk-cost fallacy

A framing effect in which people make decisions about a current situation based on what they have previously invested in the situation

functional fixedness

the tendency to think of things only in terms of their usual functions; an impediment to problem solving

belief perseverance

clinging to one's initial conceptions after the basis on which they were formed has been discredited

confirmation bias

a tendency to search for information that supports our preconceptions and to ignore or distort contradictory evidence

insight

a sudden and often novel realization of the solution to a problem

concept

a mental grouping of similar objects, events, ideas, or people