Lecture #8: Thinking & Intelligence (Chapters 9-10)
Be able to define cognition.
Cognition refers to the mental processes involved in acquiring knowledge and understanding through thought, experience, and the senses.
What psychological processes is cognition involved in?
Cognition is involved in various psychological processes, including perception, attention, memory, reasoning, problem-solving, decision-making, and language comprehension.
What is problem solving & what are some strategies for arriving at solutions?
Problem solving is the process of identifying solutions to specific issues or challenges. Some strategies for arriving at solutions include:
Breaking the problem down into smaller, manageable parts.
Using algorithms or heuristics to navigate towards the solution.
Brainstorming to generate potential solutions without immediate judgment.
Evaluating options to choose the best possible solution.
What are some obstacles to problem solving?
Obstacles to problem solving can include cognitive biases, limited knowledge, emotional barriers such as stress or anxiety, and a lack of resources or time.
What is confirmation bias & how can we avoid it?
Confirmation bias is the tendency to search for, interpret, and remember information in a way that confirms one’s pre-existing beliefs. To avoid it, individuals can seek out diverse perspectives, critically evaluate evidence, and consciously challenge their own assumptions.
What is mental set & how does it affect our ability to solve problems?
Mental set refers to the tendency to approach problems in a certain way based on previous experiences. It can limit problem-solving effectiveness by causing individuals to overlook alternative solutions or fresh perspectives.
What is fixation & how does it affect our ability to solve problems?
Fixation is an inability to see a problem from a new perspective, often resulting in a failure to find effective solutions. This can lead to repetitive approaches that do not yield results.
What is intuition?
Intuition is the ability to understand something instinctively, without the need for conscious reasoning.
How can intuition be helpful in problem solving & how can it lead to errors in judgments?
Intuition can help in problem solving by allowing quick decision-making based on emotional responses or prior experiences. However, it can also lead to errors if one relies solely on gut feelings without fact-checking or analysis.
What is the overconfidence error?
The overconfidence error is the tendency for individuals to overestimate their own abilities, knowledge, or predictions.
What is belief perseverance & how can we overcome it?
Belief perseverance is the tendency to cling to initial beliefs even when confronted with contrary evidence. To overcome it, individuals should actively seek and consider opposing viewpoints and engage in critical thinking.
What is the difference between confirmation bias & belief perseverance?
Confirmation bias involves favoring information that confirms existing beliefs, while belief perseverance is maintaining those beliefs despite contrary evidence.
Do animals think? Have culture? Socio-cognitive skills? Know some examples.
Yes, many animals exhibit signs of thought processes, possess cultural elements, and demonstrate socio-cognitive skills. Examples include primates using tools, dolphins exhibiting social learning, and elephants showing mourning behavior.
What is intelligence & what does it require?
Intelligence is the ability to acquire and apply knowledge and skills. It requires cognitive processing, learning from experience, and adaptability to new situations.
Be able to describe the following theories of intelligence:
Spearman's Theory: Proposes a general intelligence (g) factor that underlies all mental abilities.
Thurstone's Theory: Suggests multiple intelligence factors, such as verbal comprehension and spatial ability.
Sternberg's Triarchic Theory: Divides intelligence into three components: analytical, creative, and practical intelligence.
Gardner's 8 Frames of Mind: Proposes eight distinct types of intelligence, including linguistic, logical-mathematical, and interpersonal.
How is IQ determined?
IQ is determined through standardized testing that assesses various cognitive abilities relative to the general population.
What is a person's mental age?
A person's mental age is a measure of an individual's intellectual development compared to the average performance of peers.
What is a normal distribution?
A normal distribution is a probability distribution that is symmetric about the mean, showing that data near the mean are more frequent in occurrence than data far from the mean.
What is the mean IQ?
The mean IQ is generally set to 100, with the majority of the population falling within a range of 85 to 115.