Psychology 100: Cognition (Thinking, Intelligence & Language)

Psychology 100: Cognition (Thinking, Intelligence & Language)

Course Overview

  • Course Topic: Cognition in Psychology
  • Focus Areas: Thinking styles, intelligence types, and the role of language

Upcoming Assignments

  • Cognition Worksheet
    • Due Date: Friday, Nov 7 by 4 PM
    • Requirements: 4 questions based on lecture material, each requiring a paragraph response
    • Note: Responses are open to interpretation, but must reflect an understanding of concepts.

Extra Credit Opportunity

  • Survey Feedback
    • Survey will be live after class; it is optional and anonymous.
    • Deadline: Friday, Nov 7.
    • Extra Credit Criteria:
    • 60% response rate = 0.5 EC for all
    • 75% response rate = 1 EC for all
    • 90% response rate = 1.5 EC for all

Main Concepts in Cognition

  • Computational Theory of Mind
    • View: The brain operates as an information-processing unit.
    • Process: Inputs > Processing > Outputs

Thinking: A Dual System Approach

  • Dual Systems of Thinking
    • System 1:
    • Characteristics: Fast, effortless, automatic, unconscious
    • Role: Default mode of thinking
    • System 2:
    • Characteristics: Slow, effortful, requires concentration and attention, conscious
    • Effects: Includes physiological changes (e.g., increased heart rate)

Example Problem - Ball and Bat Cost

  • Problem Statement: A ball and a bat costs $1.10 total, the bat costs $1 more than the ball. How much does the ball cost?
    • Options:
    • A) $0.10
    • B) $1.00
    • C) $1.05
    • D) $0.05
    • Common Error: Many jump to $0.10 without applying proper logical reasoning.

Fast Thinking: Heuristics

  • Heuristics Defined
    • Description: Mental shortcuts that enable quick problem-solving and judgment formation
    • Importance: Vital for navigating a potentially dangerous and complex environment
    • Risks: Fast thinking can lead to biases and mistakes due to an overreliance on past experiences.
Availability Heuristic
  • Definition: Estimating the frequency of events based on how easily examples come to mind.
  • Example Consideration: Why is breast cancer a prominent concern regarding women's health?
  • Emotional Impact: The availability heuristic is influenced largely by emotionally charged events.
Fear of Terrorism and Statistical Errors
  • Example: Heightened fear of terrorist attacks compared to automobile accidents
  • Media's Role: Media coverage prioritizes dramatic events like terrorism over mundane statistics, affecting public perception and fear.
Confirmation Bias
  • Definition: The tendency to focus on information that confirms existing beliefs while ignoring contradictory evidence.
  • Consequence: Can lead to persistence in false beliefs despite contrary evidence.
Representativeness Heuristic
  • Definition: Classifying new information based on how much it resembles existing categorization schemes.
  • Example: If one meets a person who fits a stereotype, they may assume that individual embodies all traits associated with that stereotype.

Cognitive Development and Schemas

  • Schemas: Internal frameworks for categorizing aspects of the world
    • Definition: Systems for understanding what things are.
Development Processes According to Piaget
  • Key Processes:
    1. Equilibration: Balancing new information with existing knowledge.
    2. Assimilation: Integrating new experiences into existing schemas.
    3. Accommodation: Modifying schemas when new information cannot be assimilated.

Summary of Thinking Strategies

  • Algorithms:
    • Definition: Step-by-step procedures or formulas that guarantee a correct outcome when applied correctly.
    • Nature: Slower but reliable when available.
  • Heuristics:
    • Definition: Practical methods or shortcuts to problem-solving and decision-making that aren't always accurate.
    • Nature: Faster but less reliable.

Intelligence

General Intelligence (g)
  • Concept by Charles Spearman
    • Definition: A single factor (g) related to various cognitive abilities, including problem-solving and creativity.
    • Observation: High correlation of scores across different cognitive ability tests.
Intelligence Quotient (IQ)
  • Purpose: Measures relative mental age to chronological age
  • Notable Test: Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale, adapted for U.S. use from the original work by Alfred Binet.
  • Formula: IQ=MATA×100IQ = \frac{MA}{TA} \times 100
    • Where MA = Mental Age, TA = True Age.
  • Average IQ: 100, with standard deviation of 15.
Historical Context of Phrenology
  • Definition: A pseudoscience attempting to predict mental traits based on skull measurements.
  • Implications: Used to justify eugenics, slavery, and gender discrimination.
The Dark History of IQ and Eugenics
  • Contributions of H.H. Goddard: Coined derogatory terms to classify intelligence based on IQ; these were rooted in eugenics and flawed intelligence theories.
IQ Correlations and Environmental Influences
  • Studies show strong correlations in IQ among family members, indicating both genetic and environmental influences.
    • Research Indicates:
    • Strong heritable component.
    • Socioeconomic status factors heavily influence IQ through access to education and resources.

Multiple Intelligences and Emotional Intelligence

Robert Sternberg's Triarchic Theory
  • Components of Intelligence:
    1. Analytical Intelligence: Problem-solving, reasoning, and analytics.
    2. Practical Intelligence: Applying knowledge to everyday situations.
Emotional Intelligence (EQ)
  • Components:
    1. Ability to recognize and manage one's own emotions.
    2. Capacity to empathize with others.
  • Importance: Predictive of social and professional success, leadership ability.
Non-Human Animal Intelligence
  • Varied capabilities across species including concept formation, problem-solving ability, self-recognition, and tool use.
  • Notable Researcher: Wolfgang Köhler (1917) focused on animal cognition.

Language

Defining Language
  • Definition: A structured system of communication using symbols, adhering to grammatical rules.
  • Three Properties of Genuine Language:
    1. Generativity: Limited words can create infinite sentences.
    2. Recursion: Ability to expand sentences to convey new ideas.
    3. Displacement: Discussing ideas not currently present.
Nature vs. Nurture in Language Acquisition
  • Nativism (Plato): Concept that certain knowledge is innate.
  • Empiricism (Aristotle): All knowledge comes through sensory experience.
Behavioral Explanation of Language Acquisition (B.F. Skinner)
  • Mechanisms: Association of sounds with objects, imitation of language, and reinforcement through social interaction.
Nativist Explanation of Language Acquisition (Noam Chomsky)
  • Concept of a 'language acquisition device': innate mechanisms for understanding language structure and grammar.
Brain's Role in Language Centers
  • Identified brain areas for different aspects of language:
    • Broca's Area: Speech production.
    • Wernicke's Area: Comprehension of speech.
  • Other relevant areas: Primary motor cortex, somatosensory cortex, and prefrontal cortex contribute to language processes.
Interactionist Explanation of Language Acquisition
  • Proposes an interplay between innate structures and social learning.
  • Language is nurtured through social interactions and caregiving.
Language among Non-Human Species
  • While some animals exhibit forms of communication, they often lack the complexity (generativity, recursion, displacement) of human language.
  • Example: Kanzi the Bonobo demonstrates limited language comprehension and syntax following.
Conclusion on Language
  • Statement: True language is species-specific, requiring the unique structure of the human brain to develop effectively.
  • Distinction: Communication does not equate to language.