Chirs List Exam Edition FINAL

Fechners'Law

A principle describing the relationship between the magnitude of a stimulus and the intensity of the sensation produced, foundational in psychophysics.

Colour Vision

Different colours have different light wavelengths. Perceived colour depends

on which light components are absorbed by material of object. Photoreceptors in retina

(cones) are sensitive to different wavelengths of light.

Stroop effect

colour of word does not match word. Creates slower reaction time. Must suppress

automatic process to name the colour of the word instead of reading the word, aka

controlled process. Congruent when colour match word, incongruent is when colour

doesnt match word

Trichromatic theory of vision

a theory that suggests there are three types of cone receptors in the retina, each sensitive to different wavelengths of light (red, green, and blue), which combine to produce the full spectrum of colours visible to humans.

Endogenous orienting

is the voluntary direction of attention towards stimuli based on internal goals or expectations, contrasting with exogenous orienting, which is driven by external stimuli.

Exogenous orienting

is the involuntary direction of attention towards stimuli based on external cues or stimuli, such as sudden movements or loud noises.

Face perception

subregions in inferior temporal lobe play an important role in ____.

Capgras Syndrome

is a psychological condition in which a person believes that a close relative or friend has been replaced by an identical impostor. (impaired feelings of familairty for loved ones caused by the decoupling of the brain representation of the face from responses in the automatic nervous system)

Illusory Conjunction

an example if a perceptual phenomenon where features from multiple objects are miscombined, leading to errors in perception where one might see a combination of attributes from from different stimuli, often occurring when attention is divided or overloaded.

Dual Task Switching

is a cognitive process that involves switching attention between two tasks or stimuli, often leading to slower performance and increased errors due to the demands on working memory.

Controlled processing

process that requires conscious use of attention resources. Allows for goal-directed behaviour

Automatic processing

process that does not require attention for its execution. Can be carried out unconsciously with little awareness

Task switching cost

cost is not fully eliminated when more time is given but will decrease

Sustained attention

the ability to maintain focus on a task or stimulus over an extended period, which is crucial for successfully completing complex tasks and exams

Modal model of Memory

a framework that describes the process of memory through three distinct stages: sensory memory, short-term memory, and long-term memory, each with specific functions and duration

short-term/working memory

combines storage aspect of STM with active attention component. WM is a memory system that temporarily holds and manipulates information.

WM as a trait

individuals differ in terms of their working memory abilities. Working memory Capacity (WMC), not really about storage or memory but about the capacity for controlled sustianed attention in the face of interference or distraction

Coding specificity principle

the idea that information is best remembered when retrieval occurs in the same context or environment in which it was initially encoded, emphasizing the importance of context in memory recall

Flashbulb memory

tends to be believed with with greater confidence, associated with vividness. Flashbulb memories seem to be no more accurate than ordinary memory, despite high confidence

Amnesia

impairs declarative memory, performance on indirect memory tests, normal semantic priming

Anterograde amnesia

the inability to form new memories after the onset of amnesia, affecting the acquisition of new information while leaving older memories intact.

retrograde amnesia

the inability to retrieve memories formed before the onset of amnesia, often affecting personal history and previously learned information.

implicit sequence learning

often acquired without conscious awareness, involving the ability to learn and execute sequences of actions or behaviors.

inclusion

complete stem with word from list or with first word that describes a psychological phenomenon in which individuals include previously encountered information or experiences in their current memory processing.

exclusion

refers to the process of not including certain items or individuals within a group or category, often based on specific criteria or characteristics.

Misinformation effect

when people who witness an event later exposed to new an misleading (incongruent) information about it, their recollections often become distorted

Semantic dementia

is a type of neurodegenerative condition characterized by a progressive loss of semantic memory, where individuals have difficulty understanding language and recognizing objects.

Category fluency

is a cognitive function that refers to the ability to rapidly generate words or items belonging to a specific category, often used to assess language and executive function.

exemplar theory

Subjects do not form an abstract prototype for each category, Individual

exemplars are stored in memory. Categorization is based on the similarity between a

new test item and stored exemplars

subordinate categorization

ability to categorize objects at a more specific niche level (below ordinary) example: golden retriever for dog

basic categorization

ability to categorized objects at a general level, often involving broader categories with less specificity, such as grouping all animals together. Example: dog for dog category

Superordinate categorization

ability to overgeneralize objects of category, example: mammal for dog

Phonology

sound pattern of language

syntax

grammatical organization of words in sentence

semantics

meaning of words and sentences

linguistic empricism

parental reformulations, school. A lot of language learning happens outside the home

surface structure

practical words used to convey meaning

deep structure

underlying meaning if sentences

functional fixedness

when faced with a novel problem, our instinct is to rely on what we’ve done in the past in similar situations; this can lead to the trap of _____. particularly problematic when we are faced with insight problems which require us to think from a different angle. People can overcome this when given relevant hint

pre-utlization

the initial use of a solution or strategy before extensive evaluation in problem-solving.

dunker’s radiation problem

A classic problem-solving scenario that illustrates functional fixedness, where one must find a way to destroy a tumor without harming surrounding healthy tissue. It typically requires participants to think creatively about how to deliver radiation in a non-destructive manner.

remote association (convergent thinking)

what individuals do when they need to generate a creative solution by linking seemingly unrelated concepts. (what do arm, coal and peach have in common. answer: pit

unusual test (divergent thinking)

A method of assessing creativity by measuring the ability to generate multiple unique responses or ideas to a given prompt or task. (participant lists as many different uses as possible for a common object)

Final recall

is the process of retrieving information from memory during a testing or assessment scenario. It often involves remembering facts, concepts, and skills that have been previously learned.

incubation

creative problem solving often enhanced by a break

flunency heuristic

a cognitive shortcut used to facilitate decision-making that focuses on the ease of processing information

availability heuristic

heuristic is a mental shortcut that relies on immediate examples that come to mind, often used in decision-making.

Representativeness heuristic

when judging the probability of an event by comparing it to

an existing prototype in our minds, which can lead to misinterpretation if the example is not truly representative.

Loss aversion

people dislike losing more than they like winning. Loss of x amount is perceived as more negative than gain of x amount is perceived positive

wakefulness

refers to physiological stte in which one is awake and aware of their surroundings

dissociation method

A psychological technique used to separate memories or emotions from an individual's conscious awareness

Qualitative difference approach

focuses on analyzing the unique characteristics and

qualities of different states of consciousness, emphasizing how these differences can

influence perception, thought processes, and behavior.

Hypnosis

intense state of concentration, focus, and absorption.

Individuals vary widely in the degree to which they are susceptible to hypnotic suggestion

Hypnotic suggestibility

typically assessed using validated protocols, Standard Hypnotic

Susceptibility Scale Form C (SHSS – C)

protocols

designed to measure how susceptible people are to hypnotic suggestion by

gradually increasing the complexity of the suggested behaviors and observing compliance

by the participant

Do highly hypnotizable people have a unique brain structure?

YES, high hypnotizable had larger rostrum compared to low hypnotizable people

Does suggestion impact behaviour?

yes, suggestion can significantly alter behavior and responses in individuals.

Learning styles

the idea that individuals differ in terms of what mode of learning is

effective

Are learning styles supported by evidence

Peoples self reported preference with modality in which material is delivered. Existence of learning preference is not disputed, people do exhibit stable and reliable affinities for learning in particular modalities

Growth vs fixed mindset

view failure as opportunity to learn, not indicative of fixed abilities but rather an opportunity to improve

Rapid Serial Visual Presentation (RSVP)

Allows eyes to stay in one position but eliminates helpful regressive saccades, removes helpful information in parafovea

Physics of sound perception

When an object vibrates, it causes movement in surrounding air molecules. These molecules bump into the molecules close to them, causing them to vibrate as well.

What is loud? and what makes things loud?

Loudness is determined by the amplitude of the sound wave, which corresponds to the intensity of energy of the sound and is measured in decibels (dB)

How do humans perceive faces?

Humans are especially skilled at recognizing faces and use specialized brain regions such as the fusiform gyrus for face processing, allowing for rapid and accurate identification. (Faces are processed holistically, emphasizing the relationship between features rather than individual characteristics.)

Logan and Lassaline 1993 automaticity Study

When people practice something until it's automatic, their memory seems to store certain aspects of the task more strongly than others. In this case, how a pattern is oriented was more critical than what it looked like (its color or shape).

Mackworth Clock Task (sustained attention)

Had participants watch a spinning circle for two hours a state when a double jump occured. Attention significantly dropped off significantly after 30 minutes

Resource Depletion (Overload) Theory

Sustained attention is an effortful process that depletes a limited pool of cognitive resources. Over time, these resources become depleted, leading to a decline in attentional performance.

Mindless (Underload) Theory

Sustained attention can become monotonous and underwhelming, leading to a redirection of attention away from the task at hand. _____ theory propose that the repetitive and unchallenging nature of sustained attention tasks can lead to a decline in vigilance.

Long-term memory

The system responsible for storing and retaining information over extended periods, allowing for recall of experiences, knowledge, and skills.

Working Memory

The part of the memory system that temporarily holds and processes information for brief periods, typically seconds to minutes, allowing for immediate use and manipulation.

Explicit (declarative) Memory

A type of long-term memory that involves the intentional recall of facts and events, which can be verbally expressed.

Implicit (non-declarative) Memory

A type of long-term memory that influences behavior without conscious awareness, often demonstrated through skills and conditioned responses.

Transfer appropriate processing

Memory is better when the cognitive processes engaged at test are the same as those engaged at the time of study. Similar to encoding specificity principle BUT cognitive state instead of external state

DRM paradigm

A cognitive psychology model used to demonstrate how false memories can occur through the presentation of related word lists, where individuals recall words that were not actually presented. (lists of word related to sleep than asking if sleep was present)

Memory in amnesiacs

is often characterized by the inability to form new explicit memories while retaining some implicit memory functions, allowing for skill learning without conscious recall of previous experiences.

False fame effect

The phenomenon where individuals misattribute fame to previously encountered names, believing they are famous due to mere exposure rather than actual recognition. This effect illustrates how familiarity can influence our judgments of recognition, leading to errors in memory.

Alzheimer Disease

A progressive neurodegenerative disorder that leads to cognitive decline, especially memory loss, language difficulties, and impairments in reasoning and decision-making. Categorized by plaques and tangles in the brain

Insight problem solving

is a type of problem-solving that involves a sudden realization of a problem's solution, often characterized by a unique or creative approach. This process contrasts with more methodical or incremental approaches to solving problems.

Saccades

quick, simultaneous movements of both eyes as they change focus from one point to another, essential for visual processing.

Hot Hand Fallacy

The belief that a person who has experienced success with a random event has a higher chance of further success in subsequent attempts, despite the events being independent.

Prospect theory

is a behavioral economic theory that describes how people make decisions in situations involving risk and uncertainty, emphasizing the asymmetry between gains and losses. (we dislike losing more than we like winning)

Retrospective evaluation experiment

Research suggests that patients' retrospective evaluations of colonoscopies are heavily influenced by the pain experienced during the final moments of the procedure, rather than the overall duration or peak pain, a phenomenon known as the "peak-end rule”

Marcel Theory 1980

unconscious perceptual processing occurs automatically even for stimuli that are not consciously perceived. conscious awareness can influence perceptions and behaviors.

Speed Reading

is a method of rapidly acquiring information from written text, focusing on improving reading speed while maintaining comprehension. It often involves techniques such as skimming, scanning, and minimizing subvocalization.

nemonic devices

memory aids that help improve recall and retention of information, often using associations or patterns to facilitate learning.

method of loci

a mnemonic device that uses spatial memory to organize and recall information by associating items with specific locations.

peg method

is a mnemonic strategy that involves associating items to be remembered with a pre-established set of cues, usually in the form of numbers or a mental 'peg' system, to enhance memory recall.

Objective threshold

The level at which a participant is truly unaware of a stimlus

subjective threshold

The level at which a participant claims to be unable to detect a stimulus (stimulus is often still being perceived at a level higher than chance)