Information-processing system
Mechanisms for receiving information, representing it with symbols and manipulating it.
Thinking
The manipulation of mental representations.
Formal Concepts
Clearly define objects or events by a set of rules and properties.
Natural Concepts
Don't have fixed or set definitions, have typical or characteristics features.
Prototype
A member of a natural concept that posses all or most of its characteristic features.
Proposition
A mental representation that expresses a relationship between concepts.
Schemas
Generalizations about categories of objects, places, events and people.
Scripts (a type of schema)
Mental representations of familiar sequences of activity.
Mental Models
Sets of propositions that represent people's understanding of how things look and work.
Formal Reasoning
A set of rigorous procedures for researching valid conclusions.
Deductive vs. Inductive Reasoning
Deductive: Arguments that lead to necessary conclusions when their reasons are true.
Inductive: Arguments whose reasons lead to probable conclusions.
Algorithms
Systematic procedures that cannot fail to produce a correct solution to a problem.
Logic
A system of formulas for drawing valid conclusions.
Informal Reasoning
The process of evaluating a conclusion based on the evidence available to support it.
Heuristics
Mental shortcuts or rules of thumb.
Anchoring Bias (Anchoring heuristic)
A shortcut in the thought process that involves adding new information to existing information to reach a judgement.
Representativeness Heuristic
A mental shortcut that involves judging whether something belongs in a given class on the basis of its similarity to other members of the class.
Availability Heuristic
A mental shortcut through which judgments are based on information that is most easily brought to mind.
Mental Set
The tendency for old patterns of problem solving to persist.
Functional Fixedness
The tendency to think about familiar objects in familiar ways.
Confirmation Bias
Tendency to only pay attention to evidence that supports you argument.
Creativity
The capacity to produce original solutions or novel compositions.
Divergent Thinking
The ability to generate many different solutions to a problem.
Convergent Thinking
The ability to apply the rules of logic and what one knows about the world to narrow down the possible solutions to a problem.
Utility
In decision making, any subjective measure of value.
Expected Value
The total benefit to be expected of a decision if it were repeated on several occasions.
Language
Symbols that are used as a means of communicating.
Grammar
A set of rules for combining the symbols, used in a given language.
Infant Vocalizations ("Babblings")
Early sounds made by babies.
One-Word Stage
A stage of language development during which children tend to use one word at a time.
Language acquisition (Conditioning, Imitation, & Rules)
The process children undergo to learn a language, usually through their parents.
Intelligence
The possession of knowledge, the ability to effectively use that knowledge to reason about the world and the ability to reason in different environments.
Origins of intelligence
1904, Done by a French Psychologist, Alfred Binet, in order to study special education programs.
Theories of intelligence: General, Triarchic, and multiple
General:
Intelligence Quotient (IQ)
A number that was originally determined by dividing mental age by chronical age and
Intelligence Testing and Race/Culture
There are shifts in the bell curves based on African Americans and Hispanics, European Americans, and Asian Americans
Unusual intelligence
People whose cognitive abilities are unusual, usually the gifted and mentally retarded.