Cognition, Consciousness, & Language Flashcards
how our brains process and react to the incredible info overload presented to us by the world
cognition
- thinking requires sensation,encoding, and storage of stimuli
- stimuli must be analyzed by the brain (rather than respond automatically) to be useful in decision making
- decisions made in one situation can be extrapolated and adjusted to help solve new problems (also called situational modification)
- problem-solving is dependent not only on one person’s cognitive level, but also the context and complexity of the problem
information processing model
development of ones ability to think and solve problems across the lifespan
cognitive development
divided the lifespan into four cognitive developmental stages
Jean Piaget
process of classifying new information into existing schemata
assimilation
existing schemata are modified to encompass new information
accomodation
organized patterns of thought and behavior
schema
stage that starts at birth and lasts until about age 2. Child learns to manipulate his or her environment in order to meet physical needs
sensorimotor stage
ends the sensorimotor stage. Understanding that objects continue to exist even when out of view
object permanence
lasts from 2-7, characterized by symbolic thinking, egocentrism, an centration
preoperational stage
ability to pretend, play make-believe, and have an imagination
symbolic thinking
inability to imagine what another person may think or feel
egocentrism
tendency to focus on only one aspect of a phenomenon, or inability to understand the concept of conservation
centration
lasts 7-11. Children understand conservation and consider the perspectives of others. Yet to develop ability to think abstractly
concrete operational stage
starts around age 11 and is marked by the ability to think logically about abstract ideas
formal operational stage
proposed that engine driving cognitive development is the child’s internalization of his or her culture
Lev Vygotsky
consists of problem solving skills
fluid intelligence
use of learned skills and knowledge
crystallized intelligence
tendency to approach similar problems in the same way
mental set
inability to consider how to use an object in a nontraditional way
functional fixedness
starts with set of general rules and draws conclusions from the information given
deductive (top-down) reasoning
seeks to create a theory via generalization
inductive (bottom-up) reasoning
simplified principles used to make decisions (rule of thumb)
heuristics
used when try to decide how likely something is
availability heuristics
using prototypical or stereotypical factors while ignoring actual numerical information
base rate fallacy
evidence obtained from testing demonstrated that the solution doesn’t work
disconfirmation principle
tendency to focus on information that fits an individual’s beliefs, while rejecting information that goes against them
confirmation bias
tendency to erroneously interpret one’s decisions, knowledge, and beliefs as infallible
overconfidence
inability to reject a particular belief despite clear evidence to the contrary
belief perseverance
ability to act on perceptions that may not be supported by available evidence
intuition
seven defined types of intelligence:
linguistic, logical-mathematical, musical, visual-spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, interpersonal, and intrapersonal
Howard Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences
state of consciousness in which we are awake and able to think
alertness
BAT-D beta alpha theta delta
order of waves in sleep
dreams are caused by widespread, random activation of neural circuitry
activation-synthesis theory
reduce the nervous system activity, resulting in sense of relaxation and reduced anxiety
- alcohol
- barbiturates
- benzodiazepines
depressants
cause an increase in the arousal of the central nervous system
- amphetamines
- cocaine
- ecstasy
stimulants
concentrating on one aspect of the sensory environment,or sensorium
attention
actual sound of language
phonology
structure of words
morphology
association of a meaning with a word
semantics
how words are put together to form sentences
syntax
dependence of language on context and preexisting knowledge
pragmatics
existence of some innate capacity for language
nativist (biological) theory
language acquisition by operant conditioning
learning (behaviorist) theory
language development focuses on the interplay between biological and social processes
social interactionist theory
the perception of reality is determined by the content of language
linguistic relativity hypothesis
controls motor function of speech
Borca’s area
responsible for language comprehension
Wernicke’s area
allows appropriate association between language comprehension and speech production
arcuate fasciculus
