Introduction to Cognitive Psychology Lecture Notes

Vocabulary-style flashcards covering the key researchers, experiments, definitions, and neuroimaging techniques from the Chapter 1 introduction to cognitive psychology.

Cognitive Psychology (Goldstein, 2019)

The study of mental processes, which includes determining the characteristics and properties of the mind and how it operates.

Cognitive Psychology (Neisser, 1967)

Refers to all processes by which the sensory input is transformed, reduced, elaborated, stored, recovered and used.

Donders (1868)

Conducted the first cognitive psychology experiment comparing simple and choice reaction times to determine the time it takes to make a decision.

Reaction time (RT)

The time interval between stimulus onset and a response.

Wundt (1879)

Established the first psychology laboratory and adopted structuralism to study the mind.

Structuralism

An approach to studying the mind that uses the method of analytic introspection.

Analytic Introspection

A method in which participants describe their thoughts when presented with various stimuli.

Ebbinghaus (1885)

Measured the rate of forgetting using 13 nonsense syllables (e.g., DAX) and measured savings in relearning.

Savings

The amount of time saved from having to relearn a list after a short retention period.

James (1890)

Wrote the first Psychology Textbook based on self-reported observations of conscious experiences such as emotions.

Watson (1913)

The founder of behaviorism who used classical conditioning focusing on observable behavior.

Classical Conditioning

Learning based on paired associates.

Skinner (1938/1957)

Focused on operant conditioning and wrote a book on verbal behavior in 1957.

Operant Conditioning

A stimulus-response relationship where behavior increases or decreases based on consequences like reinforcement versus punishment.

Tolman (1948)

Proposed that rats construct a cognitive map, which is a spatial layout in one’s mind.

Cherry (1953)

Conducted a directed attention study using a dichotic listening task.

Dichotic Listening

Simultaneous presentation of an auditory message in one ear and a different message in the other ear.

Information Processing Approach

An approach using computer processing as a metaphor for how the mind processes information in stages.

Logic Theorist

A computer program created by Newell and Simon to solve problems, presented at AI conferences in 1956.

Broadbent (1958)

Developed the first flow diagram of the mind, influenced by computer flow diagrams.

Chomsky (1959)

Critiqued Skinner’s Verbal Behavior book, arguing that verbal behaviors like overgeneralization errors are not always shaped by consequences.

Atkinson & Shiffrin (1968)

Proposed a multi-store model of memory known as the Modal Model.

Tulving (1972)

Researcher who subdivided long-term memory into three types.

Neuropsychology

The study of the relationship between the nervous system and cognitions and behaviours.

Electroencephalogram (EEG)

Measures electrical signals via electrodes on the scalp with good temporal resolution in $\text{milliseconds}$.

Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI)

Measures brain oxygen consumption based on how nuclei align under a strong magnetic field; provides good spatial resolution.

Positron-Emission Tomography (PET)

Measures brain activity via radioactive glucose in the bloodstream; has poor temporal resolution ($\approx 60\,\text{secs}$) but decent spatial resolution.