2.2 - Thinking, problem solving and judgements

cognition

the mental activities associated with thinking, knowing, remembering, and communicating.

concept

a mental grouping of similar objects, events, ideas, or people.

prototype

a mental image or best example of a category. Matching new items to a prototype provide a quick and easy method for sorting items into categories (as when comparing feathered creatures to a prototypical bird, such as a robin).

algorithm

a methodical, logical rule or procedure that guarantees solving a particular problem. Contrasts with the usually speedier -- but also more error-prone -- use of heuristics.

heuristic

a simple thinking strategy that often allows us to make judgments and solve problems efficiently; usually speedier but also more error-prone than algorithms.

insight

a sudden and often novel realization of the solution to a problem; it contrasts with strategy-based solutions.

confirmation bias

a tendency to search for information that supports our preconceptions and to ignore or distort contradictory evidence.

fixation

the inability to see a problem from a new perspective, by employing a different mental set.

mental set

a tendency to approach a problem in a particular way, often a way that has been successful in the past.

functional fixedness

the tendency to think of things only in terms of their usual functions; an impediment to problem solving.

representativeness heuristic

judging the likelihood of things in terms of how well they seem to represent, or match, particular prototypes; may lead one to ignore other relevant information.

availability heuristic

estimating the likelihood of events based on their availability in memory; if instances come readily to mind (perhaps because of their vividness), we presume such events are common.

overconfidence

the tendency to be more confident than correct - to overestimate the accuracy of our beliefs and judgments.

belief perseverance

clinging to one's initial conceptions after the basis on which they were formed has been discredited.

intuition

an effortless, immediate, automatic feeling or thought, as contrasted with explicit, conscious reasoning.

framing

the way an issue is posed; how an issue is framed can significantly affect decisions and judgments.

Gambler's Fallacy

the belief that the odds of a chance event increase if the event hasn't occurred recently

sunk cost fallacy

people make decisions about a current situation based on what they have previously invested in the situation

exaggerated fear

being overly fearful of something to the point of a phobia. Availability heuristic plays a part in this