Language
used to communicate- spoken, written, gesture
Grammar
rules of language- semantics + syntax
Semantics
when things are happening- how we derive meaning
Phonemes
distinct sounds- no meaning
Morphemes
smallest unit that carries meaning
Syntax
order of words/phrases to get meaning- different for different languages
Babbling stage
babies start making sounds- around 4 months
One-word stage
children speak one word at a time- 1 year old
Two-word stage
children speak 2 words at a time- 2 years old
Telegraphic speech
children say 2 words- you can understand what it means
Operant conditioning
language is acquired by association, imitation, and reinforcement
Inborn universal grammar
prewired to acquire language- brains are ready at birth
Statistical learning and critical periods
exposure to language at an early age
Noam Chomsky
inborn universal grammar
Benjamin Whorf
linguistic determinism
Linguistic determinism
what we hear determines the way we think
Category hierarchies
from very broad to very specific concepts- breaking down
Definitions
never changes. ex: a triangle has three sides
Trial and error
try different possibilities to solve problems until you find a solution- downside is it takes a long time
Insight
ah-ha moment- sudden realization of solution
Exaggerated fear
intense fear of something that will most likely never occur
Concepts
mental grouping of similar objects events, ideas, people
Prototypes
best example of something within a category
Problem solving
how we think in order to solve complex problems
Algorithm
step by step strategy for solving problem- methodical
Heuristics
guesses- shortcut --> quick, solution could be wrong- can end up being an obstacle
Availability heuristic
latest example of something that affects your behavior
Representativeness heuristic
judging the likelihood of things/objects in terms of how they seem to represent a prototype
Belief bias
preexisting beliefs distort logical reasoning --> invalid conclusions
Belief perseverance
even in the face of contrary evidence, you still think your original beliefs
Mental set
tendency to approach a problem in a particular way, especially if it has been previously successful- blinds new alternatives
Functional fixedness
only see the familiar way to use an object
Confirmation bias
selectively search for + consider information that confirms your beliefs
Fixation
fail to see a solution to the problem from another perspective
Framing
the way a problem is presented can change the way we view a problem