Chapter 9: Thinking and intelligence Flashcards
What is cognitive psychology?
The study of perception, learning, memory, and thought. How people tend to acquire, transform, store, and retrieve knowledge.
What are cognitions?
Mental processes involved in gaining knowledge.
What are 4 elements of cognitions?
- Concepts
- Propositions
- Cognitive schemas
- Metal Image
What are concepts?
Mental categories used to classify events and objects. Includes prototypes.
What are prototypes?
Standard and typical examples to define fuzzy concepts.
What are propositions?
Units of meaning which are composed of concepts to express single ideas.
What are cognitive schemas?
Integrated mental networks of knowledge, beliefs and expectations.
What are mental images?
A mental picture which mirrors the thing it represents.
What are two levels of Consciousness in thought?
- subconscious processes
2. nonconscious processes
What are subconscious processes?
Processes which occur outside of conscious awareness and are only accessible when necessary (psychoanalytic theory)
What are nonconscious processes?
Not available to conscious awareness.
What are two types of nonconscious processes?
Implicit learning and mindlessness.
What is implicit learning?
Acquiring knowledge without awareness and being able to explain what you have learned.
What is mindlessness?
Operating on autopilot (e.g. being oblivious or stereotyping)
What is reasoning?
Drawing conclusions/ inferences from observations, facts, and assumptions.
What are formal reasoning problems?
Problems that are solved with established methods and have one single correct solution.
What are informal reasoning problems?
Problems that do not have a clearly correct solution.
What is deductive reasoning?
When a conclusion follows necessarily from certain premises. Premise is true then conclusion is true.
What is inductive reasoning?
When premises support conclusion but there is still a possibility that the conclusion is false.
What are heuristics?
Rules of thumb that suggest a course of action to guide problem-solving but does not necessarily guarantee an optimal solution.
What is dialectic reasoning?
Process in which opposing facts are weighed and compared in order to determine the best solution/ resolve differences. (pros & cons)
What stages are there in the development of reflective judgement? (3)
- Pre-reflective
- Quasi-reflective
- Reflective
What are pre-reflective stages?
Assumptions that the correct answer can be obtained through the senses of from authorities. (children rely on parents)
What are quasi-reflective stages?
Stages that recognize limits to absolute certainty, realize judgement should be supported by reasons, yet pay attention to evidence that confirms beliefs (confirmation bias)