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MCAT - Behavioral Sciences > 04 Cognition, Consciousness, and Language > Flashcards

04 Cognition, Consciousness, and Language Flashcards

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MCAT flashcards
1
Q

Information Processing Model

A
  1. thinking requires sensation, encoding, storage of stimuli.
  2. stimuli must be analyzed in the brain (rather than responded to immediately) to be useful in decision-making.
  3. decisions made in 1 situation can be extrapolated and adjusted to help solve new problems (situational modification).
  4. problem-solving is dependent not only on cognitive level but also context/complexity of problem.
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2
Q

Cognitive Development

A

development of one’s ability to think and solve problems. In childhood, limited by pace of brain maturation.

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3
Q

Assimilation

A

process of classifying new info into existing schemata. If it doesn’t fit neatly, goes into accommodation.

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4
Q

Accommodation

A

process by which existing schemata are modified to encompass new information.

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5
Q

Piaget’s Stages of Cognitive Development

A
  1. sensorimotor
  2. preoperational
  3. concrete operational
  4. formal operational.
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6
Q

Sensorimotor Stage

A

Stage 1: birth-2y/o. Learns to manipulate environment in order to meet physical needs.

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7
Q

Primary Circular Reactions

A

part of sensorimotor stage — repetition of a body movement that occurred by chance.

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8
Q

Secondary Circular Reactions

A

part of sensorimotor stage — occurs when manipulation is focused on something outside the body.

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9
Q

Object Permanence

A

Key Milestone of sensorimotor stage: understanding that objects continue to exist even when out of view.

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10
Q

Representational Thought

A

object permanence marks beginning of representational thought: child begins to create mental representations of external objects + events.

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11
Q

Preoperational Stage

A

Stage 2: 2-7y/o. Characterized by symbolic thinking, egocentrism, and centration.

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12
Q

Symbolic Thinking

A

part of preoperational stage — ability to pretend, play make-believe, have an imagination.

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13
Q

Egocentrism

A

part of preoperational stage — inability to imagine what another person may think/feel.

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14
Q

Centration

A

part of preoperational stage — tendency to focus on only 1 aspect of a phenomenon, inability to understand concept of conservation.

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15
Q

Concrete Operational Stage

A

Stage 3: 7-11y/o. can understand conservation and other perspectives. Concrete logical thoughts, haven’t developed ability to think abstractly yet.

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16
Q

Formal Operational Stage

A

Stage 4: 11+y/o. Marked by ability to think logically about abstract ideas.

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17
Q

Fluid Intelligence

A

problem-solving skills (peaks in early adulthood)

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18
Q

Crystallized Intelligence

A

use of learned skills and knowledge (peaks middle adulthood)

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19
Q

Mental Set

A

tendency to approach similar problems in the same way.

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20
Q

Functional Fixedness

A

inability to consider how to use an object in a nontraditional manner.

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21
Q

Duneker’s Candle Problem

A

example of functional fixedness. A candle, some tacks, a box of matches —> how to mount candle on wall so that no wax drips onto floor? Answer: tack the match box to wall and put candle inside.

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22
Q

Trial and Error

A

type of problem-solving — various solutions are tried until one is found that seems to work.

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23
Q

Algorithms

A

type of problem-solving — formula or procedure for solving a certain type of problem. Can be mathematical or a set of instructions, designed to automatically produce the desired solution.

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24
Q

Deductive (top down) Reasoning

A

type of problem-solving — starts from a set of general rules and draws conclusions from the information given (e.g. classic logic puzzles).

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25
Q

Inductive (bottom up) Reasoning

A

type of problem-solving — creates a theory via generalizations, starts with specific instances and draws a conclusion from them.

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26
Q

Heuristics

A

type of problem-solving — simplified principles used to make decisions. “Rule of Thumb”

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27
Q

Availability Heuristic

A

make decisions based on how easily similar instances can be imagined. (e.g. more words that start with K or have K as third letter?)

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28
Q

Representativeness Heuristic

A

categorizes items on the basis of whether they fit the prototypical, stereotypical, or representative image of the category. (e.g. student is excellent with children and wants to be elementary school teacher. Likely to be female or male? Answer: representativeness heuristic would tell us female (we usually see females working with young children more)

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29
Q

Base Rate Fallacy

A

using prototypical/stereotypical factors while ignoring numerical info. (e.g. coin has landed on heads 10 times in a row, what is probability of next toss? Answer: realistically still 50:50, but base rate fallacy would either overestimate or underestimate) —> gambler’s fallacy.

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30
Q

Disconfirmation Principle

A

the evidence obtained from testing demonstrated that the solution ≠ work. When a potential solution to a problem fails during testing, this solution should be discarded.

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31
Q

Confirmation Bias

A

tendency to focus on info that fits an individual’s beliefs while rejecting info that goes against it.

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32
Q

Overconfidence

A

tendency to erroneously interpret one’s decisions/knowledge/beliefs as infallible. (contributed by confirmation bias)

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33
Q

Belief Perseverance

A

inability to reject a particular belief despite clear evidence in contrary.

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34
Q

Intuition

A

ability to act on perceptions that may not be supported by available evidence. Often developed by experience.

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35
Q

Recognition-Primed Decision Model

A

brain sorts through wide variety of information to match a pattern. (e.g. ER physician eventually accesses information without awareness, gets an “intuition” for, say, heart attacks without even looking at an EKG or vitals.)

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36
Q

Stanford-Binet IQ Test

A

IQ = (mental age)/(chronological age) x100

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37
Q

Stanford-Binet IQ Test

A

IQ = (mental age)/(chronological age) x100

38
Q

States of Consciousness

A
  1. Alertness
  2. Sleep
  3. Dreaming
  4. Altered States of Consciousness
39
Q

Alertness

A

state of consciousness in which we are awake and able to think; some physiological arousal (e.g. higher cortisol levels, EEG waves —> wake). Maintained by neurological circuits b/t prefrontal cortex + reticular formation. Disruption of this connection = coma.

40
Q

Sleep EEG Waves

A

beta, alpha, theta, delta. 5th wave = REM sleep.

41
Q

Beta Waves

A

EEG; high frequency, occurs when person is alert or doing task that requires concentration.

42
Q

Alpha Waves

A

EEG; more synchronized, awake but relaxing with eyes closed.

43
Q

Stage 1 Sleep

A

Theta waves = irregular waveform w/ slower frequency and higher voltage.

44
Q

Stage 2 Sleep

A

theta waves + sleep spindle + K-complex.

45
Q

Stage 3/4

A

slow wave sleep (SWS). EEG activity gets progressively slower until they become delta waves. Considered deep sleep. Associated with cognitive memory + (declarative) memory consolidation + growth hormone release.

46
Q

Delta Waves

A

EEG; low frequency, high voltage waves. Deep sleep.

47
Q

NREM

A

non-rapid eye movement sleep (stages 1-4)

48
Q

REM

A

rapid eye movement sleep. “paradoxical sleep” —> arousal levels reach that of awakeness but muscles are paralyzed. Mimics wakefulness. Interspersed throughout NREM, important for (procedural) memory consolidation.

49
Q

Melatonin

A

serotonin-derived hormone from the pineal gland. Increases sleep, decrease of light can trigger release of melatonin.

50
Q

Cortisol

A

steroid hormone produced in adrenal gland. Increase in light increases cortisol, contributes to wakefulness.

51
Q

Dreaming

A

mostly occurs in REM sleep, tend to be longer/more vivid in REM.

52
Q

Activation-Synthesis Theory

A

dreams are caused by widespread, random activation of neural circuitry that can mimic sensory info or consist of stored memories, etc. Cortex tries to stitch this information together.

53
Q

Problem-Solving Dream Theory

A

dreams are a way to solve problems while you are sleeping.

54
Q

Cognitive Process Dream Theory

A

dreams = sleeping counterpart of “stream of consciousness”.

55
Q

Dyssomnia

A

sleep disorders where it is difficult to fall/stay/avoid sleep.

56
Q

Insomnia

A

dyssomnia; difficulty falling/staying asleep

57
Q

Narcolepsy

A

dyssomnia; lack of control over onset of sleep.

58
Q

Cataplexy

A

dyssomnia; loss of muscle control + sudden intrusion of REM sleep during waking hours, usually emotional trigger.

59
Q

Sleep Paralysis

A

dyssomnia; sensation of being unable to move despite being awake.

60
Q

Hypnagogic + Hypnopompic Hallucinations

A

dyssomnia; hallucinations when going to sleep/awakening. HypnaGOgic = GOing to bed.

61
Q

Sleep Apnea

A

dyssomnia; inability to breathe during sleep. Central (brain fails to send signals) vs. Obstructive (physical blockage).

62
Q

Parasomnia

A

sleep disorders where there are abnormal movements/behaviors during sleep.

63
Q

Night Terrors

A

parasomnia; intense, high sympathetic anxiety in SWS, will not remember it after waking up.

64
Q

Somnambulism

A

parasomnia; sleepwalking/talking/etc.

65
Q

REM Rebound

A

earlier onset + greater duration of REM compared to usual, occurs when a sleep-deprived person is allowed to sleep normally.

66
Q

Hypnosis

A

altered state of consciousness; person appears to be in control of normal functions but is in a highly suggestible state.

67
Q

Hypnotic Induction

A

precedes hypnosis; hypnotist seeks to relax the subject and increase subject’s level of concentration.

68
Q

5 Components of Language

A
  1. phonology
  2. morphology
  3. semantics
  4. syntax
  5. pragmatics
69
Q

Phonology

A

actual sound of language.

70
Q

Phonemes

A

speech sounds.

71
Q

Categorical Perception

A

ability to make distinction b/t language + other human/environment sounds.

72
Q

Morphology

A

structure of words.

73
Q

Morphemes

A

building blocks of words (e.g. re- | design | -ed)

74
Q

Semantics

A

association of meaning w/ a word.

75
Q

Syntax

A

how words are put together to form sentences.

76
Q

Pragmatics

A

dependence of language on context + pre-existing info.

77
Q

Prosody

A

affects pragmatics; the rhythm, cadence, inflection of voice.

78
Q

Timeline of Language Acquisition

A

9-12months: babbling.
12-18months: about 1 word per month.
18-20months: “explosion of language”, combining words.
2-3years: longer sentences (3+ words)
5+years: language rules largely mastered.

79
Q

Nativist (Biological Theory)

A

advocates some innate capacity for language.

80
Q

Critical Period

A

period ~2y/o to puberty where language is easily learned. Supports the Nativist (Biological) Theory.

81
Q

Learning (Behaviorist) Theory

A

language explained by operant conditioning (e.g. babies show preference to phonemes of language spoken by their parents).

82
Q

Social Interactionist Theory

A

language acquisition driven by child’s desire to communicate, brain grasps sounds + meanings. Certain brain circuits are reinforced in interactions, others atrophied.

83
Q

Whorfian Hypothesis // Linguistic Relativity Hypothesis

A

our perception of reality is determined by the context of language.

84
Q

Broca’s Area

A

controls motor function of speech via connections to motor cortex.

85
Q

Wernicke’s Area

A

responsible for language comprehension.

86
Q

Arcuate Fasciculus

A

bundle of axons connecting Broca + Wernicke.

87
Q

Aphasia

A

deficit of language production/comprehension

88
Q

Broca’s (Expressive) Aphasia

A

reduced/absent ability to produce spoken language (sensation of every word being on the “tip of my tongue”)

89
Q

Wernicke’s (Receptive) Aphasia

A

comprehension is lost (often believe to be speaking + understanding perfectly well, but are actually being incomprehensible or nonsensical).

90
Q

Conduction Aphasia

A

connection b/t Broca and Wernicke lost. (e.g. cannot repeat back a word they heard).

91
Q

Language Acquisition Device (LAD)

A

Nativist (biological) Theory; innate ability/theoretical pathway in the brain that allows infants to process/absorb language rules.

MCAT - Behavioral Sciences (12 decks)

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