Educational Psychology: Cognitive Approach and Constructivism

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering the cognitive approach to learning, sensory and working memory, retrieval mechanisms, creativity, problem-solving strategies, and constructivism.

Sensation

The physiological process by which the brain receives raw stimulus information directly from sensory neurons.

Perception

The cognitive process by which the brain organizes and interprets sensory stimuli into meaningful ideas.

Iconic Memory

A visual sensory register that temporarily holds visual stimuli for approximately one second.

Echoic Memory

An auditory sensory register that retains sound impressions for approximately four seconds.

Stages of Memory Processing

The three successive stages that all memories must undergo to be successful: encoding, storage, and retrieval.

Semantic Memory

A form of long-term memory dedicated to recalling specific facts, concepts, and discrete pieces of information.

Episodic Memory

A subdivision of long-term memory involved in recollecting specific personal experiences, conversations, and events.

Procedural Memory

A category of long-term memory that stores knowledge of how to perform actions and physical skills, such as walking, talking, and getting dressed.

Working Memory Capacity

The limited holding capacity of short-term memory, typically described as seven plus or minus two items ($7 \pm 2$), or between five and nine items.

Primacy Effect

The cognitive tendency to show superior recall for items presented at the beginning of a sequence or list.

Recency Effect

The cognitive tendency to show superior recall for items presented at the very end of a sequence or list.

Serial Position Curve

The pattern formed when plotting recall accuracy against an item's position in a sequence, created by the combination of primacy and recency effects.

Chunking

A memory strategy wherein several discrete items are combined and organized into fewer, more manageable units.

Acrostic Method

A mnemonic device using an invented sentence where the first letter of each word prompts recall of a specific item (e.g., 'My Very Elegant Mother Just Served Us Nectarine').

Method of Loci

A mnemonic retrieval technique that pairs items to be remembered with specific, familiar physical locations.

Proactive Interference

A memory retrieval failure that happens when older, previously learned information hinders the learning or recall of new information.

Retroactive Interference

A memory retrieval failure that occurs when newly acquired information impedes the recall of previously learned information.

State-Dependent Memory

The phenomenon wherein memory retrieval improves when an individual's physical or mental environment at retrieval matches the environment during encoding.

Schemata

Mental frameworks and organized concepts used to understand, categorize, and interpret experiences in the world.

Scripts

A specific type of well-formed schema outlining the exact, expected chronological sequence of events in a particular context.

Positive Transfer

A condition occurring when existing skills or previously acquired knowledge help and facilitate learning in a new domain.

Negative Transfer

A condition where existing skills or previously acquired knowledge hinder and obstruct the learning of new skills or topics.

Zero Transfer

A situation where previously acquired knowledge or skills have no measurable impact or effect on learning new material.

Divergent Thinking

A creative thinking process aimed at solving problems by generating multiple unique and possible solutions.

Convergent Thinking

A focused thinking process directed toward discovering a single, predetermined, correct answer to a problem.

Response Sets

A barrier to creative problem-solving characterized by habitual, fixed ways of approaching and solving problems.

Functional Fixedness

A cognitive impediment to creative thinking in which an individual perceives objects or tools as only serving a single, conventional function.

IDEAL Strategy

A systematic problem-solving framework consisting of five steps: Identify, Define, Explore, Act, and Look.

Constructivism

A learning theory associated with Piaget and Vygotsky positing that knowledge is actively built up by learners through experiences and interpersonal interactions rather than passively received.