Cognition Psychology 101 - Fall 2025

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and concepts related to cognition as discussed in a Psychology 101 course.

Cognition

The mental action or process of acquiring knowledge and understanding through thought, experience, and the senses.

Mental Representations

Internal mental symbols that stand for some object, event, or state of affairs in the world.

Concepts

Mental categories that group objects, activities, abstractions, and qualities having common properties.

Prototypes

An especially representative example of a concept.

Schemas

Cognitive structures that represent your knowledge, made up of linked-together propositions.

Mental set

A mental framework for how to solve a problem based on prior experience with similar problems.

Functional fixedness

An obstacle to problem solving that involves focusing on an object’s typical functions, thus failing to recognize atypical functions.

Algorithm

A step-by-step procedure for solving problems that guarantees a solution.

Trial and error

A problem-solving strategy that involves trying various actions or strategies at random until a solution is found.

Insight

A sudden conscious change in a person’s understanding of some situation or problem.

Biological factors in cognition

The influence of biological processes on thought and behavior.

Empirical evidence

Evidence that is based on observation or experience rather than theory or pure logic.

Diversity in psychology

The recognition and respect for individual differences and cultural factors that influence behavior.

Ethical principles in psychology

Guidelines that inform researchers and practitioners about appropriate conduct in the study and practice of psychology.

Neuroscience

The scientific study of the nervous system, often focusing on the brain's role in behavior.

Cognitive processes

Mental processes involved in acquiring knowledge and comprehension, including thinking, knowing, remembering, judging, and problem-solving.