Cognition Flashcards
Information Processing Model
(Of Memory) encoding, storage, and retrieval.
Encoding
The process of putting info into the memory system.
Storage
The retention of encoded info over time.
Retrieval
The process of getting info out of memory storage.
Shallow Processing
Structural encoding emphasizes structure of incoming sensory info.
Deep processing
Semantic encoding involves forming an association or attaching meaning to a sensory impression and results in longer lasting memories.
Self reference effect/encoding
Processing info deemed important or relevant more deeply, making it easier to recall.
Sensory Memory
Memory system that holds external events from senses for up to a few secs.
Visual encoding
The encoding of pics.
Iconic memory
A momentary sensory memory of a visual stimuli.
Acoustic Encoding
The encoding of sound. Especially words.
Echoic Memory
A momentary sensory memory of auditory stimuli.
Automatic Processing
Unconscious encoding of info about space, time, and frequency that occurs without interfering with our thinking about other things.
Parallel Processing
A natural mode of info processing that involves several info streams simultaneously.
Effortful Processing
Encoding that requires our attention and effort.
Feature Extraction
(Pattern Recognition) finding a match for new raw info in sensory storage by actively searching through long term memory.
Short term memory
(Working memory) 20 secs before its forgotten. Usually for 7 items.
Maintenance Rehearsal
Repetition that keeps info in STM about 20 secs.
Elaborative Rehearsal
Repetition that creates associations between the new memory and existing memories stored in LTM.
Method of Loci
Uses visualization with familiar objects on a path to recall info in a list.
Peg word system
Uses association of terms to be remembered with a memorized scheme.
Explicit Memory
Memory of facts and experiences that one consciously knows and can verbalize.
Semantic Memory
Memory of general knowledge and objective facts. Part of explicit memory.
Episodic memory
Memory of personally experienced events. Part of explicit memory.
Implicit memory
Retention without conscious recollection of learning the skills and dispositions.
Procedural Memory
Memories of perceptual, motor, and cognitive skills. Part of implicit memory.
Hierarchies
Systems in which concepts are arranged from more general to more specific classes.
Concepts
Mental representations of related things.
Prototypes
The most typical examples of a concept.
Semantic Networks
More irregular and distorted systems than strict hierarchies, with multiple links from one concept to another.
Script
A scheme for an event.
Connectionism
Theory that memory is stored throughout the brain in connections between neurons, many of which can work together to process a single memory.
Artificial Intelligence
A field of study in which computer programs are designed to simulate human cognitive abilities such as: reasoning, learning, and understanding language.
Parallel processing model
Clusters of neurons that are interconnected and process info simultaneously, automatically, and without our awareness.
Long term potentiation
An increase in a synapse’s firing potential after brief, rapid stimulation and possibly the neural basis for learning and memory, involving an increase in the efficiency with which signals are sent across the synapses within neural networks.
Thalamus
Involved in encoding sensory memory into STM
Hippocampus
Involved in putting info from STM into LTM
Amygdala
Involved in the storage of emotional memories.
Cerebellum
Processes implicit memories and seems to store procedural memory and classically conditioned memories.
Basal Ganglia
Processes implicit memories
Retrieval
The process of getting info out of memory storage.
Priming
Activating specific associations in memory either consciously or unconsciously.
Retrieval cue
A stimulus that provides a trigger to get an item out of memory.
Recognition
Identification of something as familiar such as multiple choice and matching questions on a test
Recall
Retrieval of info from LTM in the absence of any other info or cues such as for an essay question or fill in the blank.
Reconstruction
Retrieval that can be distorted by adding, dropping, or changing details to complete a pic from incomplete stored info.
Confabulation
Process of combining and substituting memories from events other than the one you’re trying to remember
Flashbulb memory
Vivid memory of an emotionally significant moment or event
Misinformation Effect
Incorporation of misleading info into memories of a given event.
Serial position effect
Better recall for info that comes at the beginning and at the end of a list.
Encoding Specificity principle
Retrieval depends upon the match between the way info is encoded and that way it’s retrieved
Interference
Learning some items prevents retrieving others, especially when they’re similar.
Proactive interference
The process by which old memories prevent the retrieval of new ones.
Retroactive interference
The process by which new memories prevent the retrieval of old ones.
Repression
The tendency to forgot unpleasant or traumatic memories hidden in the unconscious mind.
Anterograde Amnesia
Inability to put new info into explicit memory resulting from damage to the hippocampus. No new semantic memories are formed.
Retrograde Amnesia
Memory loss for a segment of the past, usually around the time of an accident
Overlearning
Continuing to practice after learning info makes it more resistant to forgetting
Cognition
All the mental activities associated with thinking, knowing, and remembering.
Metacognition
Thinking about how you think.
Algorithm
Problem solving strategy that involves a step by step procedure that guarantees solution
Heuristic
A problem solving strategy used as a mental shortcut to quickly simplify and solve a problem. Does not guarantee a solution.
Insight learning
The sudden appearance or awareness of a solution to a problem.
Deductive Reasoning
Reasoning from the general to the specific
Inductive Reasoning
Reasoning from the specific to the general
Mental sets
Barriers to problem solving that occur when we apply only methods that have worked in the past rather than trying something new
Functional Fixedness
When we are not able to recognize novel uses for an object bc we are so familiar with its common use.
Cognitive Illusion
Systematic way of thinking that is responsible for an error in judgment.
Availability Heuristic
A tendency to estimate the probability of certain events in terms of how readily they come to mind.
Representativeness heuristic
Tendency to judge the likelihood of things according to how they relate to a prototype.
Framing
The way an issue is stated. How a question is asked.
Anchoring Effect
Tendency to be influenced by a suggested reference point, pulling our response toward that point.
Conformation Bias
Tendency to notice or seek info that already supports our preconceptions and ignore info that refutes our ideas.
Belief Perseverance
The tendency to hold fast onto a belief after the basis for the belief is discredited
Belief Bias
The tendency for our preexsisting beliefs to distort logical reasoning, making illogical conclusions seem valid or logical conclusions seem invalid.
Hindsight Bias
The tendency to falsely report, after an event, that we correctly predicted its outcome.
Overconfidence Bias
The tendency to overestimate the accuracy of our beliefs and judgments
Incubation
Putting aside a problem temporarily; allows the problem solver ,to look at the problem from a different perspective
Phonemes
Smallest unit of sound in spoken language
Morphemes
Smallest unit of language that has meaning
Syntax
Rules that are used to order words into sentences
Semantics
A set of rules we use to derive meaning from morphemes, words, and sentences
Holophrase
1 word sentences that convey meaning.
Telegraphic speech
2 word sentences, usually a noun and a verb.
Linguistic Relativity Perspective
Our language guides and determines our thinking.
Memory
Human capacity to register, retain, and remember info.
