Psychology: Cognitive Biases, Heuristics, and Executive Functions

What is a prototype in cognitive psychology?

A mental representation of the typical example of a category.

What is an algorithm?

A step-by-step procedure or formula for solving a problem.

What is a heuristic?

A mental shortcut that allows people to make decisions quickly.

What is the representativeness heuristic?

A cognitive bias where people judge the probability of an event based on how similar it is to a prototype.

What is the availability heuristic?

A mental shortcut that relies on immediate examples that come to mind when evaluating a specific topic.

What is a mental set?

A tendency to approach problems in a certain way, often based on past experiences.

What is priming in psychology?

The process by which exposure to a stimulus influences response to a subsequent stimulus.

What is framing?

The way information is presented, which can significantly affect decision-making and judgment.

What is the gambler's fallacy?

The belief that past random events can influence the outcome of future random events.

What is the sunk-cost fallacy?

The tendency to continue an endeavor once an investment in money, effort, or time has been made.

What is overconfidence bias?

The tendency to overestimate one's own abilities or the accuracy of one's knowledge.

What is hindsight bias?

The inclination to see events as having been predictable after they have already occurred.

What are executive functions?

Cognitive processes that include working memory, flexible thinking, and self-control.

What is creativity in cognitive psychology?

The ability to produce new and original ideas or solutions.

What is divergent thinking?

A thought process used to generate creative ideas by exploring many possible solutions.

What is convergent thinking?

A thought process that focuses on finding a single, correct solution to a problem.

What is functional fixedness?

A cognitive bias that limits a person to using an object only in the way it is traditionally used.