Cognition Flashcards
three-box/information-processing model
sensory, encoding, short-term/working, long-term and retrieval
George Sperling
demonstrated sensory memory by flashing a grid of 9 letters for 1/20th of a second
sensory memory
a split-second holding tank for incoming sensory information
iconic memory
a split-second perfect photograph of a scene
echoic memory
a split-second perfect memory of a sound
selective attention
determines what is encoded from sensory memory to short-term memory
short-term (working) memory
memories currently using and are aware of in consciousness
chunking
grouping items in about 7
mnemonic aids
memory aids
rehearse
repeat
long-term memory
permanent storage
episodic memory
memories of specific events, stored in a sequential series of events
semantic memory
general knowledge of the world, stored as facts, meanings, or categories rather than sequentially
procedural memory
memories of skills and how to perform them
explicit (declarative) memory
conscious memories of facts or events we actively tried to remember
implicit (nondeclarative) memory
unintentional memories that we might not even realize we have
eidetic (photographic) memory
the ability to remember with great accuracy visual information on the basis of short-term exposure
Alexandra Luria
studied a patient with eidetic memory who could repeat a list of 70 letters or digits and remember it up to 15 years later
levels of processing model
- long/short-term memory doesn’t exist
retrieval
two types of retrieval: recognition and recall
recognition
the process of matching a current event or fact with one already in memory
recall
retrieving a memory with an external cue
primacy effect
predicts that we are more likely to recall items presented at the beginning of a list
recency effect
predicts that we are more likely to recall items presented at the end of a list
serial position effect (curve)
when recall of a list is affected by the order of items in a list
tip-of-the-tongue-phenomenon
condition of being almost, but not quite, able to remember something; used to investigate the nature of semantic memory
semantic network theory
memories are linked to one another like spiderwebs
flashbulb memory
highly detailed memory of the moment and circumstances in which a piece of surprising news is heard
state-dependent memory
recalling events encoded while in a particular state of consciousness, like sleepiness
mood congruent memory
the greater likelihood of recalling an item when our mood matches the mood we were in when the event happened
Elizabeth Loftus
showed that recovered memories could be constructed or false recollections of events
constructed memory
may report false details of a real event or might even be a recollection of an event that never occured
decay
not using a memory or connections to a memory for a long period of time
relearning
after learning and forgetting, learning again becomes faster
interference
other information competes with what you’re trying to recall
retroactive interference
learning new information interferes with the recall of older information
proactive interference
old information interferes with the recall of newer information
anterograde amnesia
old memories can be recalled, new memories (except procedural) cannot be made
long-term potention
repeated firings between neurons strengthen the connection between them
phonemes
the smallest units of sound used in a language
morphemes
the smallest unit of meaningful sound
language acquisition
natural unconscious process of language development in humans that occurs without instruction, but needs exposure
language acquisition theory
the ability to learn a language rapidly as children
Noam Chomsky
language acquisition device
language acquisition device
the ability to learn a language quickly as children
babbling stage
innate, represents a baby’s experimentation with phonemes
telegraphic
second stage in language acquisition
overgeneralization
misapplication of grammar rules
linguistic relativity hypothesis
Benjamin Whorf
prototype
what concepts are based on, the most typical example of a particular concept
image
mental pictures created in mind, not necessarily visual
algorithm
a problem solving technique that guarantees the correct solution by trying every possibility
heuristic
a rule of thumb, generally but not always true
availability heuristic
judging a situation based on examples of similar situations that come to mind initially
representativeness heuristic
judging a situation based on how similar the aspects are to prototypes the person holds in his or her mind
belief bias
illogical conclusions in order to confirm our preexisting beliefs
belief perseverance
tendency to maintain a belief even after the evidence we used to form the belief is contradicted
rigidity (mental set)
the tendency to fall into established thought patterns
functional fixedness
an example of rigidity
confirmation bias
the tendency to look for evidence that confirms our beliefs and ignore evidence that contradicts what we think is true
framing
the way a problem is presented
creativity
original/novel but still fits the situation
convergent thinking
thinking pointed toward one solution
divergent thinking
thinking that searches for multiple possible answers to a question
brain plasticity
the ability of other parts of the brain to take over functions of damaged regions. Declines as hemispheres of the cerebral cortex lateralize.
adrenal glands
produce adrenaline, which causes rest of body to go into fight or flight mode
Thomas Bouchard
conducted study on identical twins that found a correlation of 0.69 on IQ, criticized because their similar appearances may have led to their being treated similarly
Turner’s syndrome
only one X chromosome in the 23rd pair
Klinefelter’s syndrome
extra X chromosome
Down’s syndrome
extra chromosome on the 21st pair
