Cognitive Psychology: Creativity, Heuristics, and Memory Strategies

Creativity:

The ability to produce ideas that are both new and valuable. Example: Designing a new, original app interface.

Convergent Thinking:

Thinking that narrows down options to find the single best solution. Example: Choosing the correct answer on a multiple-choice question.

Divergent Thinking:

Thinking that produces many possible solutions to a problem. Example: Brainstorming 20 different uses for a paperclip.

Algorithm:

A step-by-step method that guarantees a solution. Example: Following a recipe exactly to bake cookies.

Heuristic:

A mental shortcut used to make quick judgments; not guaranteed to work. Example: Guessing a password by trying common patterns first.

Insight Learning:

A sudden realization of a solution ("aha moment"). Example: Suddenly realizing how to solve a tricky puzzle.

Confirmation Bias:

The tendency to search for information that supports your existing beliefs. Example: Only watching news that agrees with your opinion.

Mental Set:

The tendency to use old strategies even when they no longer work. Example: Solving every math problem the same way even when a shortcut is better.

Intuition:

Automatic, effortless "gut feeling" thinking. Example: Feeling a friend is upset without being told.

Availability Heuristic:

Judging likelihood based on how easily examples come to mind. Example: Thinking plane crashes are common after seeing one on the news.

Representativeness Heuristic:

Judging something based on how well it matches a stereotype or prototype. Example: Assuming a quiet, book-loving person is a librarian.

Overconfidence:

Overestimating the accuracy of your knowledge or judgments. Example: Thinking you'll get a 100% on a test you barely studied for.

Belief Perseverance:

Clinging to a belief even after evidence proves it wrong. Example: Still believing a myth after it's debunked.

Framing:

The way information is presented, which influences decisions. Example: Saying a product is "95% fat-free" instead of "5% fat."

Elaborative Rehearsal:

Encoding information by linking it to meaning or personal experiences. Example: Connecting vocab words to something in your life.

Maintenance Rehearsal:

Repeating information to keep it in short-term memory. Example: Repeating a phone number until you write it down.