Chapter 8 Flashcards
Semantic Networks
A semantic network connects concepts with links showing relationships. In a hierarchy, categories go from general to specific.
The basic level category is:
Commonly used terms,
Easy to pronounce,
Includes prototypes,
Where most thinking occurs.
Linguistic relativity (Whorfian Hypothesis)
means that the language we speak influences how we think and perceive the world. For example, if a language has many words for snow, speakers of that language might notice more details about snow than others. Language affects how we categorize and understand our experiences.
Category-specific visual agnosia (CSVA):
Having difficulty identifying objects from specific categories (e.g., animals vs. non-living things). For example, a patient could recognize objects but struggle to name animals, even though their overall perception is fine.
Problem-solving strategies:
Algorithms: Step-by-step methods that follow strict rules. They’re logical, objective, and slow, like listing pros and cons.
- Solving a math problem by following a formula, or comparing all features of two products before deciding which one to buy.
Heuristics: Quick, intuitive solutions based on experience. They’re subjective and faster but less reliable than algorithms.
- Choosing a restaurant based on previous positive experiences or making a quick decision in a game based on a gut feeling.
Cognitive Obstacles: What is a mental set
This happens when someone tries to use a familiar solution for a new problem, even when it’s not the best fit.
For example, in the riddle “Maria’s father has five daughters: Lila, Lola, Leela, Lala…,” many assume the fifth daughter’s name follows the pattern, but the answer is Maria.
Cognitive Obstacles: Representativeness Heuristic
We judge how likely something is based on how similar it seems to a stereotype.
Example:
Linda’s description matches the stereotype of a feminist.
People often pick b. (bank teller and feminist) because it fits the stereotype, but a. (just a bank teller) is actually more likely, since adding more details makes an event less likely
Cognitive Obstacles: Functional Fixedness?
occurs when someone can only see an object’s usual function, like only using a screwdriver to turn screws, not as a paperweight. It limits creative problem-solving.
Cognitive Obstacles: Conjunction Fallacy:
overestimating the likelihood of two events.
This is the mistaken belief that a specific situation (belonging to two overlapping categories) is more likely than a general one.
For example, people might think it’s more likely that Linda is both a bank teller and an activist (two overlapping categories) rather than just a bank teller (the larger, general category), but the general category is always more likely.
Cognitive Obstacles: Availability Heuristic:
We judge how likely something is based on how easily examples come to mind.
Example:
Are there more English words that start with “K” or have “K” as the third letter?
We might think more start with “K” because it’s easier to recall, but there are actually more with “K” as the third letter
Anchoring Effect:
When solving a problem involving numbers, people rely too heavily on the first piece of information they get (the “anchor”). For example, seeing a $1,000 item marked down 70% to $300 may seem like a great deal compared to just seeing it priced at $300. The initial price influences the perception of the discount.
Cognitive Obstacles: Framing Effect:
Decisions are influenced by how information is presented. If a choice is framed negatively (e.g., 10% chance of failure), people are less likely to choose it compared to when it’s framed positively (e.g., 90% chance of success).
Belief Perseverance:
This happens when a person is convinced they have the right solution and only accepts evidence that supports their belief, ignoring contradictory evidence. For example, a card counter might ignore a wrong count and trust their second count, even if it’s flawed.
Confirmation Bias:
This involves actively seeking out information that confirms one’s beliefs while avoiding or dismissing information that challenges them. It’s about searching for evidence that aligns with their belief.
Maximizing and Satisficing:
Satisficers: Choose the option that’s “good enough.”
Maximizers: Evaluate every option to find the best one.
Paradox of choice: Having too many options can make maximizers less satisfied because they expect more.
Research shows that satisficers tend to be more satisfied with fewer choices, while maximizers feel less satisfied as options increase. This helps in understanding decision-making for planning the future.
Aphasia:
Language disorders caused by damage to the brain, usually on the left side, affecting language use and understanding.
