CH 7 PSY 120

Question 1

concept

Answer 1

a category or grouping of linguistic information, images, ideas, or memories, such as life experiences.

Question 2

Natural concepts

Answer 2

are formed through our experiences or observations, e.g. sports

Question 3

Artificial concepts

Answer 3

are defined by specific characteristics, e.g. math concepts

Question 4

Prototype resemblance

Answer 4

Based on resemblance to an ideal

Question 5

Propositions

Answer 5

Rules that define category membership. May be based on necessary and sufficient features

Question 6

Cognitive schemata

Answer 6

– A schema is a mental construct consisting of a cluster or collection of related concepts
– This network of prototypes, propositions, rules and knowledge guides us in judgments and behavior, and helps reduce mental effort
– A set of cognitive shortcuts, more of a theoretical model in progress

Question 7

Role Schemata

Answer 7

Norms and expected behavior from people with a specific role in society

Question 8

Event Schemata

Answer 8

A set of behaviors that can feel like a routine.

Question 9

– Algorithms

Answer 9

• A sequence of steps guaranteed to give you a desired outcome

Question 10

– Heuristics

Answer 10

• Shortcuts that will give the right answer most of the time, but not always

Question 11

• Availability heuristic

Answer 11

– Which claims more lives in the United States: lightning or tornadoes? makes us estimate the likelihood of an event based on our ability to recall similar events.

Question 12

• Representativeness heuristic

Answer 12

Which is more likely: TTHTHHTT or TTTTTTTT
“8 16 24 32 41 44” or “1 2 3 4 5 6”. makes us estimate the probability of something based on the degree to which it resembles.

Question 13

Mental Set

Answer 13

the tendency to stick to solutions that have worked for you in the past when trying to solve a problem.

Question 14

• Functional fixedness

Answer 14

the inability to realize that something known to have a particular use may also be used to perform other functions.

Question 15

Dunning-Kruger Effect

Answer 15

A problem of ignorance is when people are not aware of their ignorance, leading to overconfidence

Question 16

Reasoning is Not Always Rational

Answer 16

Human beings operate on both reason and emotion. We often make decisions based less on reason that on emotions, or concepts such as fairness. People have a confirmation bias
However, one piece of disconfirmatory evidence may outweigh any amount of confirmatory evidence.

Question 17

Base Rate Fallacy

Answer 17

Base rate fallacy is a type of error that occurs when relevant data or commonly-understood (statistically relevant) information about a subject matter (base rate) is neglected or ignored in favor of new information.

Question 18

Gambler’s Fallacy

Answer 18

occurs when an individual erroneously believes that a certain random event is less likely or more likely to happen based on the outcome of a previous event or series of events.

Question 19

Hindsight Bias

Answer 19

a psychological phenomenon that allows people to convince themselves after an event that they accurately predicted it before it happened.

Question 20

Cognitive Dissonance

Answer 20

occurs when a person’s behavior and beliefs do not complement each other or when they hold two contradictory beliefs. (Example – “I smoke, even though I know smoking can kill”). Leon Festinger was an American social psychologist who originated the theory.