Cognition, Consciousness, and Language Flashcards
how our brains process and react to the information overload presented to us by the world
cognition
states that the brain encodes, stores, and retrieves information much like a computer
information processing model
development of one’s ability to think and solve problems
cognitive development
sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational, and formal operational
Piaget’s stages of cognitive development
one of Piaget’s stages of cognitive development:
focuses on manipulating environment to meet physical needs through circular reaction; object permanence ends stage
sensorimotor stage
one of Piaget’s stages of cognitive development:
focuses on symbolic thinking, egocentrism, and centration
preoperational stage
inability to imagine what another person may think or feel
egocentrism
tendency to focus on only one aspect of a phenomenon
centration
one of Piaget’s stages of cognitive development:
focuses on understanding the feelings of others and manipulating physical objects
concrete operational stage
one of Piaget’s stages of cognitive development:
focuses on abstract thought and problem solving
formal operational stage
intelligence that consists of solving new or novel problems, possibly using creative methods
fluid intelligence
intelligence related to solving problems using acquired knowledge, often can be procedural
crystallized intelligence
causes normal mild level of cognitive decline
aging
disorders and conditions characterized by general loss of cognitive function
dementia
organic brain disorders, genetic and chromosomal conditions, metabolic derangements, and drug use are _____ that affect _____
biological factors that affect cognition
pattern of approach for a given problem
mental set
inability to consider how to use an object in a nontraditional manner
functional fixedness
type of problem solving:
various solutions are tried until one is found to work
trial-and-error
type of problem solving:
formula or procedure for solving a certain type of problem
algorithm
type of problem solving:
starts from set of general rules and draws conclusions from information given
deductive (top-down) reasoning
type of problem solving:
seeks to create a theory via generalizations
inductive (bottom-up) reasoning
shortcuts or rules of thumb used to make a decision
heuristics
exist when an experimenter or decision maker is unable to objectively evaluate information
biases
tendency to focus on information that fits an individuals beliefs
confirmation bias
a “gut feeling” regarding a particular decision
intuition
subjective experience of a person in a certain situation; how a person feels often influences how a person thinks and makes decisions
emotion
proposes seven areas of intelligence: linguistic, logical-mathematical, musical, visual-spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, interpersonal, intrapersonal
Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences
intelligence that involves ability to evaluate and reason
analytical intelligence
intelligence that involves ability to solve problems using novel methods
creative intelligence
intelligence that involves dealing with every day problems at home or at work
practical intelligence
intelligence that refers to the ability to perceive, express, understand, and manage one’s emotions
emotional intelligence
underlying variable of intelligence, often measured with standardized tests (such as Stanford-Binet ____ Test)
intelligence quotient (IQ)
state of being awake and able to think, perceive, process, and express information, β and α waves predominate on EEG
alertness