Cognition, Consciousness, and Language Flashcards
cognition
how our brains process and react to the incredible information overload presented to us by the world
dual-coding theory
states that both verbal association and visual images are used to process and store information
information processing model
state that the brain encodes, stores, and retrieves information much like a computer
cognitive development
development of one’s ability to think and solve problems across the life span
Piaget’s stages of cognitive development
sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational, and formal operational
sensorimotor stage
focuses on manipulating the environment to meet physical needs through circular reactions. Object permanence ends this stage; birth -2 years old; Piaget
object permanence
objects continue to exist even when they are out of view; this ends the sensorimotor stage
preoperational stage
2-7 years old; marked by symbolic thinking, egocentrism, and centration; Piaget
symbolic thinking- make believe/imagination
egocentrism- inability to imagine what another person may think or feel
centration- tendency to focus on only one aspect of a phenomenon, inability to understand idea of conservation
concrete operational stage
7-11 years old; children can understand the idea of conservation and consider the perspective of others; able to engage in logical thought with concrete info; Piaget
formal operational stage
11 years old +; marked by the ability to think logically about abstract idea; Piaget; do an experiment where only one variable is changed
Lev Vygotsky
educational psychologist, proposed that the engine driving cognitive development is the child’s internalization of his or her culture, including interpersonal and societal rule, symbols, and language
Fluid intelligence
problem solving skills
Crystalized intelligence
related to use of learned skills and knowledge
dementia
impaired memory, later progresses to impaired judgement and confusion
delirium
rapid fluctuation in cognitive function that is reversible and caused by medical (non-psychological) causes ex. delirium tremens, caused by alcohol withdrawal
functional fixedness
inability to consider how to use an object in a nontraditional manner
heuristics
simplified principles used to make decisions; “rules of thumb”
representativeness heuristic
categorizing items on the basis of whether they fit the prototypical, sterotypical, or representative image of the category
disconfirmation principle
evidence obtained from testing demonstrated that the solution did not work
confirmation bias
tendency to focus on information that fits an individuals beliefs while rejecting information that goes against them; leads to overconfidence (tendency to erroneously interpret one’s decisions, knowledge or beliefs as infallible)
belief perseverance
inability to reject a particular belief despite clear evidence to the contrary
recognition-primed decision model
intuition, ex. a doctor’s brain is actually sorting through a wide variety of information to match a pattern
Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences
7 types: linguistic, logical-mathematical, musical, visual-spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, interpersonal, and intrapersonal
consciousness
one’s level of awareness of both the world and one’s own existence within that world
reticular formation
a neural structure located in the brainstem, to keep the cortex awake and alert; brain injury that results in disruption of these connections results in a coma
Electroencephalography
EEG, helps record the electrical patterns within the brain while sleeping
beta waves
have a high frequency, when we are awake, occur when the person is alert or attending to a mental task that requires concentration
alpha waves
awake, relaxing with our eyes closed, slower than beta waves, more synchronized than beta waves
Stage 1
once you doze off, enter Stage 1, marked with the appearance of theta waves
Theta waves
in stage 1 sleep, slower frequencies, higher voltages, irregular wave forms of EEG