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53 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
thinking |
the mental manipulation of representations of information (of objects we encounter) |
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cognition |
mental activity that includes thinking and the understanding that result from thinking |
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analogical representations |
mental representations that have some of the physical characteristics of objects; they are analogous to the objects -images of the object |
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symbolic representations |
abstract mental representations and do not have relationships to the objects -correspond with words (written representation) |
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concept |
a category -mental representation that groups or categorizes objects, events, or relations around common themes |
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defining attribution model |
a way of thinking about concepts: a category is characterized by a list of features that determine if an object is a member of the category |
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two types of representations involved in thinking |
1. analogical representations: representations that have some physical characteristics of objects -correspond to images 2. symbolic representations: abstract, do not have relationship to the objects -correspond to words *both work together to form the basis of human thought, intelligence, and the ability to solve the complex problems of everyday life |
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prototype model |
-some items within a group or class are more representative (best examples) of that category than are other items within that group or class -example of a "best example" in instruments category--guitar |
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exemplar model |
a way of thinking about concepts: all members of a category are examples -together they form the concept and determine category membership |
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schemas |
cognitive structures that help us perceive, organize, and process info -as we move through various real world settings we act appropriately by drawing on knowledge of what objects, behaviors, and events apply to each setting |
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stereotypes |
cognitive schemas that allow for easy, fast processing of info about people based on their membership in certain groups |
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gender roles |
prescribed behaviors for females and males -represent a type of schema that operates at the unconscious level -follow without even realizing we are doing so |
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reasons we employ schemas |
1. common situations have consistent attributes ex: libraries are quiet and contain books 2. people have specific roles within situational contexts ex: librarians behave differently in a library than a reader does |
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scripts |
one type of schema -helps us understand the sequence of events in certain situations -directs behavior over time within a situation ex: going to movies -dictate appropriate behaviors and the sequence in which they are likely to occur |
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reasoning |
use info you believe is true to determine if a conclusion is valid |
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decision making |
attempting to select the best alternative among several options |
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problem solving |
finding a way around an obstacle to reach a goal |
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deductive reasoning |
using general rules to draw conclusions about specific instances |
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inductive reasoning |
using specific instances to draw conclusions about general rules |
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heuristics |
-in examining how people make everyday decisions, Tversky and Kahneman identified several common of these -refers to the mental shortcuts (rules of thumb, informal guidelines) that we typically use to make decisions -used to reduce the amount of thinking |
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algorithm |
a procedure that will always yield the correct answer--if followed correctly |
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framing |
how info is presented can alter how people perceive it -use this to emphasize potential losses or potential gains to influence decision making |
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mental age |
determined by comparing the child's test score with avg score for children of each chronological age |
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intelligence quotient (IQ) |
-developed by Wilhelm Sterm -computed by dividing child's estimated mental age by child's chronological age them multiplying result by 100 |
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intelligence |
ability to use knowledge to reason, make decisions, make sense of events, solve problems, understand complex ideas, learn quickly, and adapt to the environmental challenges *individuals differ in this just like physically and in personality |
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psychometric approach |
-Alfred Binet: measured child's vocab, memory, skill with numbers and other mental abilities -this approach to intelligence focuses on how people perform on standardized achievement tests -what do people know? how can they solve problems? |
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achievement |
-psychometric tests focus on this -asses people's current levels of skills and of knowledge |
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aptitude |
-psychometric tests can focus on this -seek to predict what tasks, and perhaps even what jobs, people will be good at in the future |
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Binet-Simon Intelligence Scale |
-Binet and his assistant Theodore Simon developed first test to assess intelligence: -method measured: child's vocab, memory, skill with numbers and other mental abilities -how child performed on average across diff components indicates his or her overall level of intelligence |
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Alfred Binet |
-wanted to identify children who needed extra attention in French school system -thought intelligence was best understood through high level mental processes -developed first method of assessing intelligence Binet-Simon Intelligence Scale *found that scores on his test consistent with teacher's believes about child's abilities and with grades |
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Stanford Revision of Binet-Simon Scale |
-modified Binet-Simon and established normative scores for American kids -in 1919: remains the most widely used test for children in the US |
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Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS) |
-revision of Binet-Simon Scale in 2003 so it could be used to test adults -2008 version consists of two parts consisting of several tasks -verbal part: measures aspects such as comprehension, vocal, general knowledge -performance part: measures nonverbal tasks such as arranging pictures in proper order, assembling parts to make a whole object, identifying a picture's missing features |
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adult IQ |
-measured in comparison with average adults and not adults of different ages |
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normal distribution |
-average IQ is set at 100 today -this is the "bell curve" that forms when viewing at IQ scores across large groups of people -peak of curve is the average--today is 100 -more people are close to average, fewer on either extreme of score range |
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are intelligence tests valid? |
YES, they tend to perform reasonably well -overall evidence indicates that IQ is a fairly good predictor of life outcomes measured by intelligence (doing well in school, succeeding in complex careers) |
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Miller Analogy Test |
-widely used for admissions decisions into graduate schools as well as hiring in many work settings -results predicted individual's productivity, creativity, job performance in workplace *suggests modest correlation between IQ and: work performance, income, jobs requiring complex skills |
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25% |
-percentage of the variation in performance at either school or work that IQ scores predict -additional factors contribute to individual success as well--NOT JUST IQ SCORE/INTELLIGENCE |
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culture bias |
-one criticism of intelligence tests -people can be penalized for belonging to certain cultures and not having the specific background knowledge required |
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reification |
the tendency to think about complex traits as though they have a single cause and objective reality -example: complex concept of intelligence |
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general intelligence (g) |
the idea that one general factor underlies intelligence -providing a single IQ score reflects the idea that one general factor underlies intelligence |
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fluid intelligence |
intelligence that reflects the ability to process info, particularly in novel or complex circumstance |
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crystallized intelligence |
intelligence that reflects both the knowledge one acquires through experience and the ability to use that knowledge |
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multiple intelligence |
idea that there are different types of intelligence that are independent of one another |
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analytical intelligence |
being good at problem solving |
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creative intelligence |
involves the ability to gain insight and solve novel problems -to think in new and interesting ways |
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emotional intelligence (EI) |
form of social intelligence that emphasizes the abilities to manage, recognize, and understand emotions and use emotions to guide appropriate thought and action |
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inspection time tests |
-supports a relation between general intelligence and speed of mental processing -stimulus is presented then covered up to measure how much viewing time it takes a particular person to answer a question about the stimulus -ppl need LITTLE time: tend to score HIGHER on psychometric tests of intelligence *measuring electrical activity of brains in response to the presentation of the stim--shows highly intelligent ppl's brains work faster* |
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working memory |
active processing system that holds info for use in activities such as reasoning, comprehension, problem solving |
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word span task
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participant listens to a short list of words and then repeats words in order |
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secondary processing task |
participant has to solve simple mathematical operations at same time words are presented then person has to repeat words in order they were presented |
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savant |
person with minimal intellectual capacities in most domains but at a very early age shows an exceptional ability related to math, music, arts -combo of prodigious memory and inability to learn seemingly basic tasks--GREAT MYSTERY |
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behavioral genetics |
study of the genetic basis of behaviors and traits like intelligence -use twin and adoption studies to estimate the extent to which particular traits are heritable -tries to determine the portion of particular traits variance that can be attributed to genes |
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stereotype threat |
apprehension about confirming negative stereotypes related to one's own group -this fear causes distraction and anxiety, interfering with performance by reducing the capacity of short-term memory and undermining confidence and motivation |