Chapter 19: Cognitive Psychology

Question 1

Frederic Bartlett (1886–1969)

Answer 1

British, One of the first modern cognitive psychologists. His influential work includes “Remembering: A Study in Experimental and Social Psychology,” where he introduced the concept of schema and its role in memory

Question 2

Jerome Bruner (1915–2016)

Answer 2

American, Along with Miller and Bartlett, one of the first cognitive psychologists. Among his contributions were the popularization of Piaget and Vygotsky. His significant contributions include “The Process of Education,” where he advocated for a more discovery-oriented and interactive approach to learning.

Question 3

Noam Chomsky (1928–2022)

Answer 3

American, Trained as linguist, he wrote a review of Skinner’s work on language, showing the limits of a behavioral explanation and beginning the “cognitive revolution.” Much of modern psycholinguistics centers around his theory of language. His groundbreaking work includes “Syntactic Structures,” where he introduced transformational-generative grammar

Question 4

George Miller (1920–2012)

Answer 4

American, Did pioneering research on information processing in the 1950s and 1960s that significantly enhanced the popularity of cognitive psychology. He is known for his paper “The Magical Number Seven, Plus or Minus Two,” which explored the limitations of human working memory and the creation of “Miller law”

Question 5

Ulric Neisser (1928–2012)

Answer 5

American, Noted cognitive psychologist. Authored two classic textbooks and advocated for cognitive research that was both applied and ecologically valid. His influential book “Cognitive Psychology” helped establish cognitive psychology as a distinct field

Question 6

Jean Piaget (1896–1980)

Answer 6

Swiss, Focused on cognitive development, and how schemata evolve during maturation and through experience. His seminal work includes “The Theory of Cognitive Development,” where he proposed a stage theory of cognitive development

Question 7

John Searle (1932–2022)

Answer 7

American, With his famous “Chinese Room” thought experiment, sought to demonstrate that computer programs can simulate human thought processes but not duplicate them. Computer programs, he says, can only manipulate symbols according to rules (syntax), whereas humans assign meaning to symbols (semantics).Therefore, he accepts weak artificial intelligence and rejects strong artificial intelligence

Question 8

Alan Turing (1912–1954)

Answer 8

British, Turing is considered the father of Artificial Intelligence in computer science and psychology. Among his contributions was the Turing test

Question 9

Artificial Intelligence

Answer 9

The development of computer systems capable of performing tasks that typically require human intelligence

Question 10

Attribution

Answer 10

The process by which individuals explain the causes of behavior, events, or outcomes, attributing them to internal or external factors

Question 11

Back-propagation Systems

Answer 11

Neural networks programmed using feedback to adjust weights, often used for supervised learning tasks

Question 12

Cognitive Science

Answer 12

Interdisciplinary study of mind and intelligence, encompassing philosophy, psychology, AI, neuroscience, linguistics, and anthropology

Question 13

Concrete Operations Stage (Piaget)

Answer 13

Piaget’s stage (around 7-11 years) where children develop logical thought but struggle with abstract concepts

Question 14

Connectionism

Answer 14

A cognitive approach using artificial neural networks to model mental processes

Question 15

Formal Operations Stage (Piaget)

Answer 15

Piaget’s stage (around 12 years and up) where abstract thinking and problem-solving develop

Question 16

Hebb’s Rule

Answer 16

Neural connection strengthening based on repeated simultaneous or successive activation, influential in connectionist models

Question 17

Information Theory (Shannon and Weaver)

Answer 17

Mathematical theory of communication by Shannon and Weaver, foundational in understanding data transmission and storage

Question 18

Information Processing Psychology

Answer 18

Approach focusing on mental processes using computer metaphor, influenced by Newell, Shaw, and Simon

Question 19

Neural Networks

Answer 19

Systems of artificial neurons modeling human learning and cognition

Question 20

Preoperational Stage (Piaget)

Answer 20

Piaget’s stage (around 2-7 years) marked by symbolic thinking but lack of logical operations

Question 21

Semantics

Answer 21

Study of meaning in language, crucial in linguistic and cognitive research

Question 22

Sensorimotor Stage (Piaget)

Answer 22

Piaget’s initial stage (0-2 years) focused on sensory experiences and motor activities

Question 23

Strong Artificial Intelligence

Answer 23

The concept that machines can possess general intelligence similar to humans

Question 24

Syntax

Answer 24

The study of sentence structure and rules governing word combinations in language

Question 25

Turing Test (Turing)

Answer 25

A test proposed by Alan Turing to determine a machine’s ability to exhibit human-like intelligence

Question 26

Weak Artificial Intelligence

Answer 26

The idea that machines can simulate human intelligence for specific tasks without true understanding

Question 27

Turing Machine

Answer 27

An abstract mathematical model of computation, considered a foundational concept in the development of modern computers

Question 28

Chinese Room Argument (Searle)

Answer 28

An argument that challenges the idea that a computer can genuinely understand and have consciousness

Question 29

Ecological Validity (Neisser)

Answer 29

The extent to which the findings of a research study generalize to real-life settings

Question 30

Miller’s Law (Miller)

Answer 30

The cognitive principle that the average number of objects an average human can hold in working memory is about seven

Question 31

Universal Grammar (Chomsky)

Answer 31

The theory that the ability to acquire language is innate to humans and that all human languages share a common structural basis

Question 32

Discovery Learning (Bruner)

Answer 32

A learning theory that promotes problem-solving and exploration to discover new information

Question 33

Spiral Curriculum (Bruner)

Answer 33

A teaching method that revisits basic ideas, building on them and expanding as students revisit topics at different ages

Question 34

Schema (Bartlett)

Answer 34

A mental framework or organized pattern of thought that people use to organize and interpret information