Cognitive Psychology Flashcards
a technique used by Wilhelm Wundt (School of Thought
Structuralism) that involved trained participants describing their experiences and thought processes in response to stimuli
analytic introspection
a field of study aiming to make machines behave in ways that would be considered intelligent if a human were behaving that way, as defined by John McCarthy during the Dartmouth conference
artificial intelligence
an approach to psychology founded by John Watson that emphasizes the study of observable behavior and rejects introspection and the investigation of unobservable mental processes
behaviorism:
a form of learning introduced by Ivan Pavlov and associated with John Watson, wherein a neutral stimulus becomes associated with a meaningful stimulus, resulting in a learned response
classical conditioning
all mental abilities, including perceiving, learning, remembering, thinking, reasoning, and understanding
cognition
the study of mental processes, encompassing characteristics and properties of the mind and how it operates
cognitive psychology
the approach of focusing on understanding mental processes and the operation of the mind, which emerged during the cognitive revolution
cognitive paradigm
a shift in psychology from behaviorism to a focus on understanding mental processes, which occurred during the 1950s and was marked by events such as conferences on artificial intelligence and information theory
cognitive revolution
the mental process involved in making choices, as inferred from behavior in Donders’ experiment
decision-making process
filter model of attention
a flow chart proposed by Donald Broadbent in the 1950s that depicts the operation of the mind in terms of processing stages, particularly in directing attention to stimuli in the environment
a brain imaging technique introduced in 1990 that allows the observation of activated areas in the human brain during cognitive activity without radioactive tracers
functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)
the complex cognitive functions, such as thinking, problem-solving, and long-term remembering, considered in the study of cognitive psychology
higher mental processes
a form of learning introduced by B. F. Skinner that focuses on how behavior is strengthened by the presentation of positive reinforcers or the withdrawal of negative reinforcers
operant conditioning
the association between a stimulus and the resulting behavior, a central focus of behaviorism
stimulus–response relationships
a significant shift in scientific thinking from one paradigm to another, marked by changes in dominant ideas and approaches
scientific revolution
a stage in Atkinson and Shiffrin’s model of memory that holds incoming information for a fraction of a second
sensory memory
a stage in Atkinson and Shiffrin’s model of memory with limited capacity, holding information for seconds
short-term memory
Two key definitions of the mind
There are two main ways to define the mind:
1. The mind as the creator and controller of mental functions: This means the mind is responsible for creating thoughts, feelings, memories, and actions. It’s like the control center that manages everything we think and do. 2. The mind as a system that creates representations to achieve goals: This means the mind helps us form mental images or ideas (representations) to understand the world and solve problems. It acts like a tool we use to figure things out and reach our goals, using these mental pictures or concepts.
In short, one definition focuses on the mind controlling what we think and feel, while the other emphasizes how it helps us solve problems by creating mental pictures or ideas.
one focusing on its creation and control of mental functions, and the other portraying it as a system creating representations to achieve goals.
what occurred with the rise of behaviorism?
A shift away from studying the mind, initiated by John Watson, emphasizing observable behavior over internal mental processes.
The cognitive revolution in the 1950s marked a paradigm shift
from behaviorism to the cognitive approach, influenced by developments such as the introduction of digital computers.
The evolution of cognitive psychology continued beyond the 1950s with advancements like:
Atkinson and Shiffrin’s memory model,
Tulving’s subdivision of long-term memory, and the impact of brain imaging, such as fMRI.
Contemporary cognitive psychology …
It looks at how thinking works in everyday life, recognizes the importance of knowledge, and uses advanced methods, showing that it’s a complex and constantly changing field.
explores real-world cognition, acknowledges the role of knowledge, and employs sophisticated methodologies, reflecting a multifaceted and dynamic field
Which term refers to Ebbinghaus’s finding that relearning lists of syllables takes less time than the original session?
Savings curve
Ebbinghaus studied the nature of memory and forgetting by measuring the amount of time it took to learn and relearn a list of syllables.
What did Watson suggest that psychologists study when using a stimulus–response approach?
Behavior
John Watson considered analytic introspection an inadequate form of study and instead promoted studying directly observable behavior.
Which experimental framework was inspired by artificial intelligence and sought to study mental processes either in stages or as sequential mental operations?
Information processing
Which model of memory includes three stages: sensory store, short-term memory, and long-term memory?
Atkinson–Shiffrin model of memory
Atkinson and Shiffrin proposed a memory processing model with three stages: incoming information enters a sensory memory store, moves into short-term memory, and is then transferred to a long-term memory store.
universal developmental events, suh as puberty
biological milestones
all mental abilities, including perceiving, learning, remembering, thinking, reasoning, and understanding
cognition
development of thinking and reasoning abilities
cognitive development
normative events marking stages in development
developmental milestones
information processing abilities, such as logical reasoning, spatial ability, and reaction time
fluid intelligence
genetic makeup influencing traits
genotype
the improvement of an organism’s response to the environment through the acquisition of new information
learning
the study of the capacity and fragility of human memory, focusing on acquisition, storage, and retrieval
memory
the brain’s capacity to reorganize and adapt
neuroplasticity
study of age-related averages for developmental milestones
normative approach
object permanence
understanding that objects continue to exist even when out of sight
development related to emotions, personality, and social relationships
psychosocial development
what examines the Normative Approach?
examines ages for developmental milestones, continuous versus discontinuous nature of development, and nature vs nurture.
The normative approach is a method used in developmental psychology to understand typical (or “normal”) patterns of behavior, growth, and development. This approach involves studying large groups of people within a specific age range to establish averages, milestones, or norms, which can then serve as benchmarks for comparing individual development.
Key aspects of the normative approach:
Establishing Developmental Milestones: Researchers observe behaviors, abilities, or physical characteristics that most children exhibit at particular ages. For example, they might determine that most children begin walking around 12 months and talking around 18 months.
Comparing Individual Progress: By establishing these norms, the normative approach helps parents, educators, and healthcare providers assess whether a child is developing typically. If a child deviates significantly from these norms, it may suggest the need for additional support or evaluation.
Guiding Expectations: Norms help set realistic expectations for development across various stages of life, not just childhood, such as cognitive or physical abilities during adolescence or typical physical changes in aging.
The normative approach is foundational in developmental psychology because it provides a baseline for understanding typical development while acknowledging individual variations.
explain the continuous versus discontinuous nature of development
- Continuous Development: This view suggests that development is a smooth, gradual process. According to this perspective, changes happen incrementally over time, like adding layers of skills or abilities bit by bit. It implies that development is quantitative, meaning people gradually acquire more of the same type of abilities (e.g., growing taller, becoming more knowledgeable). An example of continuous development could be language acquisition, where vocabulary and understanding grow steadily over time.
- Discontinuous Development: In contrast, this perspective argues that development happens in distinct stages or steps, each one bringing qualitatively different abilities or behaviors. Development is seen as a series of sudden changes or shifts that lead to new ways of thinking or behaving. An example of discontinuous development is Piaget’s theory of cognitive development, which describes specific stages (e.g., moving from concrete operational thinking to formal operational thinking), with new cognitive abilities emerging at each stage.
In summary:
• Continuous: Development is gradual and cumulative (quantitative changes). • Discontinuous: Development involves distinct stages with major, qualitative shifts in abilities.
explain the relationship between nature and nurture
Jean Piaget’s model outlines four stages:
sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational, and formal operational stages.
Critics propose alternative views such as postformal thinking, suggesting ongoing cognitive development beyond the formal operational stage.
Contrary to traditional views, infants have been shown….
to have remarkable learning abilities, early theory-of-mind capabilities, and a strategy of extended childhood for knowledge acquisition. This suggests a more expansive and exploratory form of attention in infants and encourages adults to embrace open-mindedness and creativity by occasionally thinking more like children.
Cognitive psychology explores
human cognition, encompassing mental processes like perception, learning, memory, thinking, reasoning, and understanding.
There are common perceptions of cognitive decline related to aging
While practical thought skills often improve with age, it is important to maintain cognitive health through the aging process.
In which of Piaget’s stages of cognitive development do children develop abstract thinking?
Formal operational
Children in the formal operational stage can deal with abstract ideas and hypothetical situations.
Preoperational stage of cognitive development (Piaget)
In this stage, children can use words and images to represent things but lack logical reasoning.
Sensorimotor stage of cognitive development (Piaget)
During this stage, children learn about the world through their senses and motor behavior.
Concrete operational stage of cognitive development (Piaget)
n this stage, children can think logically about real (concrete) events.
What did Chomsky discover about the cognitive development of language in babies and young children?
Language is acquired through a natural propensity for learning language.
Chomsky’s theory is based on the idea that there are already underlying structures in the brain ready to be used for language acquisition from infancy and throughout the lifespan.
Theory of mind (TOM)
is the ability to understand what others think, feel, or believe.
What is the purpose of crystallized intelligence with regard to cognition?
For gaining knowledge
Knowledge is information learned throughout the lifespan that is then applied in the decision-making process.
Memory
is the natural cognitive ability to encode, store, and retrieve information.
Processing information
is a natural cognitive ability to process current information from both the external and internal human environment.
Reasoning
is a cognitive process for comparing multiple options and choosing the best option available.
Reasoning is the cognitive ability to use deductive logic to understand multiple factors and their purpose in a given situation.
Which sub-domain of cognitive psychology focuses on the conditions under which new information is acquired?
Learning
Learning is the ability to acquire new information from one’s environment and store it in memory.
Attention
is the cognitive ability to focus on specific information.
Perception
is the cognitive ability to interpret sensory information based on prior knowledge.
responsible for transmitting neural information and for communication between neurons. — —typically travel down a neuron’s axon.
action potential
in the frontal lobe, identified as specialized for language production
Broca’s area
a layer of tissue about 3 mm thick covering the brain, responsible for many cognitive functions
cerebral cortex
the wiring diagram of neurons in the brain
A — is like a detailed map of how all the brain’s neurons (nerve cells) are connected to each other. Imagine the brain as a giant city with billions of roads, where each road represents a connection between brain cells. The — shows how these “roads” link up to allow different parts of the brain to communicate, share information, and work together. It’s essential for everything we do, from thinking and remembering to moving and feeling emotions.
Understanding the —- helps scientists learn more about how the brain functions and what happens when it doesn’t work properly, like in diseases such as Alzheimer’s or depression.
connectome
default mode network (DMN)
brain structures that respond when a person is not involved in specific tasks. The —- is associated with mind wandering and becomes active during rest
distributed processing
different areas of the brain are involved in a particular type of cognition and are interconnected, allowing communication between them
distributed representation
cognitions activate several areas of the brain, which is evident in responses to faces, memories, and language processing
a phenomenon where the structure of the brain is changed by experience, leading to alterations in neural connections
experience-dependent plasticity
a progression from lower to higher areas of the brain, where neurons at higher levels respond to more complex stimulia progression from lower to higher areas of the brain, where neurons at higher levels respond to more complex stimuli
hierarchical processing
localization of function
specific areas of the brain serve specific functions
a chemical released at the synapse of a neuron, facilitating the transmission of signals across the gap to another neuron
neurotransmitter
What is the role of dendrites in the brain?
Dendrites branch out from the cell body to receive signals from other neurons.
How does a neuron transmit a signal after a neural impulse travels the length of the axon?
By releasing a neurotransmitter
Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers that are released into the synaptic gap.
If brain damage occurs in the temporal lobe of the cerebral cortex, how will cognitive ability suffer?
The damage will affect the ability to comprehend language.
Wernicke’s aphasia occurs after damage to an area within the temporal lobe; patients can produce speech that is both fluent and grammatically correct but tends to be incoherent.
Wernicke’s aphasia
occurs after damage to an area within the temporal lobe; patients can produce speech that is both fluent and grammatically correct but tends to be incoherent.
When is structural connectivity present in the brain?
When communication between two areas occurs by neural pathways
Structural connectivity is created by neural pathways that connect different brain areas.
Functional connectivity is a…
measure of correlation between two or more areas of the brain responding at the same time.
A neural network describes a…
network of connections, meaning more than two, and forming a network structure in the human brain.
A neural pathway…
connects two separate or distinct areas of the brain.
a technique that measures brain activity by capturing images of the brain, often using methods such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).
brain imaging
cases in which there is a separation or difference between two cognitive functions, such as imagery and perception.
dissociations
the front part of the brain, which is involved in various cognitive functions, including perception and imagery.
frontal lobe
mental representation of visual or sensory experiences; a central element in the cognitive revolution.
imagery
a discussion arising from Wundt’s proposal linking imagery and thinking, debating whether thought can occur without mental images.
imageless thought debate
method of loci
using familiar spatial layouts (e.g., house or campus) to remember events. Pick five to seven things, create an image for each, and place them at locations. Follow a specific order or path to encounter images in the correct sequence.
a method employed by Paivio,
paired-associate learning
pegword technique
a technique Involving imagery and associating items with concrete words. Create a list of nouns rhyming with numbers, forming a retrieval cue.
the process of interpreting and understanding sensory information from the environment.
perception
propositional representations
We can use symbols or images to show how things are connected, without needing to show their real-life positions. Instead of worrying about where things are, we focus on how they relate to each other. For example, a chart might use lines or shapes to represent connections, even if they don’t match actual distances or locations, unlike a map that shows real places.
The idea that there is a spatial relationship between imagery and perception, supported by experiments involving mental scanning.
The definition focuses on the connection between mental imagery (what we imagine in our minds) and perception (what we see or sense in the real world). It highlights the idea that when we think about or visualize something in our minds, it often maintains a spatial relationship similar to what we would perceive in reality, as shown by experiments where people mentally “scan” images or spaces.
applies to how we visualize things mentally, not just physical spaces. how our mental imagery relates to perception in a spatial way.
spatial correspondence
The system responsible for temporarily holding and manipulating information for cognitive tasks.
working memory:
Wilhelm Wundt’s proposition of…
images as fundamental elements in consciousness initiated the history of imagery. STRUCTURALISM
The imageless thought debate emerged, challenging the necessity of images for thinking
Shepard and Metzler’s findings suggested
spatial representation in both mental and perceptual images.
Shepard and Metzler’s study showed that when people mentally rotate objects in their minds, it takes longer the more the objects are rotated, just like it would in real life. This suggests that mental images are spatially represented in a similar way to how we perceive real objects. So, both mental and perceptual images share the same kind of spatial thinking.
How does mental imagery improve memory according to Paivio’s research?
By pairing words that are concrete nouns
Paivio showed that concrete nouns, like truck or tree, are easier to remember because they can be visually imagined.
In a spatial representation..
different parts of an image can be described as corresponding to specific locations in space.
This idea means that when you imagine an image, different parts of that image are mentally placed in specific positions, just like they would be in the real world. For example, if you picture a house, you might imagine the roof at the top, the door in the middle, and the windows on the sides. Each part of the image corresponds to a particular location in space within your mind, similar to how they would be arranged in physical reality. This shows that our mental images have a spatial structure, just like real objects.
How does propositional representation describe the relationship between objects in mental imagery?
It emphasizes the descriptive characteristics of an image.
Propositions are used to represent any kind relationship and are a form of mental representation that consists of neither words nor images.
Propositional representation in logic involves representing statements or propositions as symbols or variables that can either be true or false. Here’s a basic example:
1. Natural Language Statements: • “If it is raining, then the ground is wet.” • “It is raining.” 2. Propositional Representation: • Let  represent “It is raining.” • Let  represent “The ground is wet.” 3. Logical Expression: • The first statement can be represented as  (If , then ). • The second statement is simply  (It is raining). 4. Logical Conclusion: • If both statements are true, then by modus ponens (a rule of inference), we can conclude : “The ground is wet.”
This example shows how natural language statements are converted into symbolic form, allowing for logical reasoning and inference.
Daniel tells a story of a visit to a large waterfall and remembers that the light refracted off of the spray of the water to create rainbows.
How does Daniel re-experience this visit?
By using visual imagery to imagine the falls.
Visual imagery is used to recall a visual memory and experience it again.
Mental scanning
is a task in which participants create mental images and then scan them in their minds, suggesting a spatial correspondence between imagery and perception.
How is the method of loci used to improve memory?
By visualizing items in different spatial locations
the pegword technique
Associating images with words
An —- inference happens when we read or listen to something and figure out who or what a pronoun or reference word is talking about. For example, if you read “Ana was tired. She went to bed early,” you understand that “she” refers to Ana. Your brain makes the connection between the pronoun and the earlier noun, filling in the details. This is called ana… inference—it helps us keep track of who or what is being talked about without repeating the same words all the time.
anaphoric inference
the process of inferring that events described in one clause or sentence were caused by events that occurred in a previous sentence
This involves understanding or inferring that one event in a sentence or clause was caused by a preceding event, creating a logical flow.
For example:
• Sentence 1: “It started raining heavily.” • Sentence 2: “The soccer game was canceled.”
casual inference
understanding spoken and written language, including processing language sounds; understanding words, sentences, and stories; and engaging in conversations
comprehension
A —is a quick, simple rule or shortcut your brain uses to make decisions or solve problems without having to think too much. Instead of analyzing every detail, you rely on experience or general guidelines to come up with an answer faster. For example, when grocery shopping, you might choose a brand you’ve bought before because it’s familiar, without comparing all the options. _ help you save time, but they aren’t always perfect.
heuristic
a condition in which words can have multiple meanings
lexical ambiguity
lexical priming
a method involving the presentation of words with similar meanings to observe the priming effect on response times
the process of grouping words into phrases while reading or hearing a string of words
“The old man the boats.”
At first glance, this sentence might seem confusing because we expect “man” to be a noun, but here it’s actually being used as a verb. Your brain has to —- it correctly to understand that the sentence means: “The old people are the ones who manage the boats.”
By breaking down the structure:
• “The old” is the subject (referring to old people). • “man” is the verb (meaning to operate or manage). • “the boats” is the object.
—— helps you figure out this unusual sentence structure and get the correct meaning.
parsing
the field concerned with the psychological study of language, focusing on cognitive mechanisms, such as comprehension, representation, speech production, and language acquisition
psycholinguistics
representation
how language is ….. in the mind,
involving grouping words into phrases to create meaningful sentences and making connections between different parts of a story
semantic segmentation
The process of recognizing individual words in speech is often done by using context clues, patterns we’ve learned from language, and our knowledge of what words mean.
statistical regularities
Statistical regularities are patterns in how sounds in speech often go together within words and less often across words. Our brains pick up on these patterns, helping us know where one word ends and another begins, even if there are no clear pauses. For example, in English, “ba” is likely followed by “by” (as in “baby”) but rarely by “tle” (as in “bottle”). This way, we learn to identify words in a stream of speech by noticing common sound patterns.
syntactic coordination
An example of syntactic coordination would be if one person says:
“Can you pass me the salt?”
The other person might respond with a similar structure, like:
“Sure, can you pass me the pepper?”
In this case, the second person follows the same question format because they unconsciously match the grammatical pattern of the first person’s sentence. This is an example of how people tend to mirror each other’s sentence structures during conversations.
syntactic priming
syntactic priming, where hearing a certain way of speaking makes you more likely to use the same style.
the phenomenon where hearing a statement with a specific syntactic construction increases the likelihood of producing a sentence with the same construction; this reduces the computational load in conversation.
visual world paradigm
a technique measuring eye movements to understand how information in a scene influences sentence processing
the behaviorism vs. Chomsky debate led to..
the emergence of psycholinguistics.
Word comprehension is impacted by factors like ..
frequency and contextual cues that aid pronunciation variation.
Syntax
Syntax in natural language is the set of rules that determines how words are arranged to form sentences and phrases that make sense and follow the grammar of the language.
Comprehending text involves…
making inferences beyond explicit information.
The sentence “making inferences beyond explicit information” means drawing conclusions or understanding things that are not directly stated, based on the available information. It involves using clues, context, or prior knowledge to figure out what is implied but not clearly said.
What is a lexicon within cognitive psychology?
A lexicon is the stored knowledge for all of the words of our language.
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What did Rayner and Duffy discover about fixation times?
Fixation times are longer for low-frequency words.
This suggests that word familiarity plays a key role in how quickly and efficiently we process text.
Rayner and Duffy discovered that fixation times, or the amount of time a reader’s eyes pause on a word while reading, are influenced by the frequency of the word. Specifically, they found that readers fixate longer on less frequent or unfamiliar words compared to more common or familiar words.
Fixation times are longer for low-frequency words and on average were 87 ms longer for low-frequency words than for high-frequency words because our past experience with words influences our ability to access their meaning.
How does syntactic coordination help establish common ground?
It helps people coordinate their grammatical statements during conversation
Syntactic priming occurs when hearing a statement in a syntactic structure increases the likelihood of using the same syntactic structure.
How does the constraint-based approach explain how humans understand language?
By parsing sentences and not only using syntactic influences
The constraint-based approach of parsing is the idea that information in addition to syntax influences the understanding of language.
The constraint-based approach to parsing suggests that when we process language, we don’t rely solely on syntax (the structure and rules of sentences) to understand meaning. Instead, we use multiple sources of information—such as context, semantics (meaning of words and phrases), our prior knowledge, and even visual cues—to interpret sentences. This approach contrasts with theories that assume a purely syntactic or structure-first method of parsing, where the sentence structure alone determines understanding. By considering multiple constraints at once, this approach allows us to arrive at a more accurate and nuanced interpretation of language, especially in complex or ambiguous situations.
Parsing sentences means breaking down a sentence into its components to understand its structure and meaning. This process involves analyzing the grammatical elements, such as nouns, verbs, adjectives, and how they are arranged in phrases and clauses. Parsing helps us identify the relationships between words, such as which words are subjects, objects, or modifiers, so we can accurately interpret the sentence’s intended meaning. For example, in a sentence like “The cat chased the mouse,” parsing identifies “The cat” as the subject, “chased” as the verb, and “the mouse” as the object, clarifying who is doing what.
The garden-path approach proposes that as a sentence is read, the reader uses…
heuristics about syntax to inform the meaning of the language.
The garden-path approach proposes that as a sentence is read, the reader uses a syntactic-first strategy to interpret its meaning. This means that the reader initially relies on grammatical structure alone, constructing the simplest interpretation based on syntax rules without considering other sources of information like context or meaning. When this initial interpretation leads to a misunderstanding—known as a “garden path”—the reader must backtrack and re-parse the sentence with additional information in mind. This approach explains why sentences like “The old man the boats” can momentarily mislead us until we reconsider the sentence structure and realize that “man” is being used as a verb rather than a noun.
Temporary ambiguity is when..
a sentence appears to mean one thing, but then ends up meaning something else.
Syntax sentence structure informs the reader about
what words may appear next.
Where are spatial representations of an image held?
In a specific location
Kosslyn posited that different parts of a mental image correspond to different locations in space.
Kosslyn proposed that when we form mental images, we organize them spatially, much like how images are arranged in physical space. According to his theory, different parts of a mental image are mapped onto distinct locations in our mental “space,” allowing us to imagine details and spatial relationships as if we were looking at a real object. For instance, if you visualize a cat next to a tree, Kosslyn’s theory suggests that your mind organizes the cat and tree in separate spatial locations within your mental image, similar to how they would appear in a real-life scene. This spatial arrangement is thought to support tasks like scanning, zooming, and comparing parts of a mental image, as our minds treat them as if they occupy physical space.
How are propositional representations formed?
As an equation or statement
Propositional representations of images take an abstract form.
Propositional representations are formed as abstract, language-like descriptions of information, rather than as visual or sensory images Instead of creating a mental picture, we encode the relationships between concepts in a structured, symbolic form. For instance, rather than visualizing a cat sitting on a mat, we might form a propositional representation that encodes “cat on mat.” Here, the idea of “on” describes the spatial relationship between “cat” and “mat” without needing a visual image.
These representations are structured in a way that can capture complex relationships, similar to logical or linguistic statements, and allow us to store, retrieve, and manipulate knowledge abstractly. They can be formed from language, sensory input, or prior knowledge, and they help us reason about the relationships and attributes of objects and concepts, especially when we don’t need a vivid mental picture.
How is the visual cortex organized?
As a topographic map
Kosslyn found that images are mapped to different points on the cortex.
How does the pegword technique assist in memory?
by placing objects with a concrete word
The pegword technique creates a link to assist in memory.
Which term did Wundt’s theoretic approach use regarding sensations?
Structuralism
Wundt called his approach structuralism.
What is the second stage of Piaget’s Cognitive Development Theory?
Preoperational
Which theory was developed by Piaget?
Piaget developed the Four-Stage Cognitive Development Theory.
What is defined as intelligence that refers to information processing abilities?
Fluid
This type of intelligence refers to information processing abilities, such as logical reasoning, remembering lists, spatial ability, and reaction time.
Crystalized refers to intelligence that
draws upon experience and knowledge, rather than information processing.
Which aspect of lifespan development examines language?
Cognitive
This domain deals with the cognition abilities of a human being.
Which subdomain of cognition describes solving problems of information overload?
Attention
Attention solves the problem of information overload in cognitive processing systems by selecting some information for further processing.
Which specialized area of the temporal lobe allows a person to identify someone familiar in a crowded room?
Fusiform face area
This part of the frontal lobe helps with language production rather than processing face information.
Broca’s area
This area of the brain processes spatial information about places, rather than faces.
Parahippocampal place area
The parahippocampal place area (PPA) is a region of the brain located in the parahippocampal gyrus, within the medial temporal lobe. The PPA is known for its specialization in processing visual information related to scenes, places, and environmental contexts.
Key characteristics and functions of the PPA include:
• Scene and Place Recognition: The PPA is activated when individuals view scenes or spaces, such as landscapes, rooms, or buildings, rather than specific objects or people. It plays a key role in identifying and understanding the spatial layout of environments. • Navigation and Spatial Memory: This area is important for navigation, as it helps individuals remember and recognize locations, navigate through environments, and build mental maps of spaces. • Differentiation from Other Visual Areas: While areas like the fusiform face area (FFA) specialize in recognizing faces, the PPA specifically processes the broader, more stable elements of a scene, like walls, landmarks, or overall spatial configuration, rather than transient objects or figures. • Interaction with Other Brain Regions: The PPA interacts with other areas involved in spatial processing, such as the retrosplenial cortex and the hippocampus, to support memory and orientation in space.
The PPA is essential for activities like recognizing familiar places, orienting oneself in new environments, and recalling spatial details of locations. Damage to this area can lead to impairments in spatial memory and navigation, sometimes resulting in a condition known as topographical disorientation, where individuals struggle to recognize or navigate familiar places.
Extrastriate body area
The extrastriate body area (EBA) is a region of the brain located in the occipital and temporal lobes, specifically in the lateral occipital cortex. It is known to play a critical role in the visual processing of human body parts and figures. The EBA is activated when a person views images of bodies or body parts (like arms, legs, or torsos), but it is generally not activated by faces, objects, or scenes.
Here are some key points about the EBA:
• Selective for Body Perception: The EBA is specialized for recognizing human body forms and parts, even in simple line drawings or silhouettes. • Role in Movement Perception: It also contributes to understanding and processing movements of the human body, which helps in recognizing actions and gestures. • Interaction with Other Brain Areas: The EBA works in conjunction with other brain areas, like the fusiform body area (FBA), which is also involved in body perception, and the primary visual cortex, which helps process the visual input before it reaches the EBA.
The EBA’s role in processing bodies and body parts is essential for social cognition, as it enables individuals to perceive and interpret body language and nonverbal cues accurately.
Which lobe integrates sensory information and uses it to guide behavior?
The frontal lobe receives information sent from the sensory cortices, to use in decision-making processes.
What is an example of localization of function in the brain?
An area in the temporal lobe is responsible for recognizing faces.
Localization of function is the idea that specific areas of the brain are responsible for specific functions.
What are neurons that respond to specific visual properties called?
Feature detectors
are neurons that respond to a specific feature of a stimulus, such as orientation, movement, or length.
Which lobe of the brain contains areas associated with facial recognition, object recognition,and language acquisition?
The temporal lobe contains areas involved in object recognition, face recognition, and language comprehension.
Which term refers to a person’s knowledge of what words mean, how they sound, and how they are used in relation to other words?
Lexicon refers to all of the words a person knows, including their definitions and meanings.
What is meant by given information in the given-new contract?
Information that the listener already knows
In a conversation, a speaker should construct sentences so that they contain both given information and new information.
What is an example of lexical ambiguity?
The word “light” has more than one meaning.
Lexical ambiguity means that a word has more than one meaning.
Why do children use word segmentation?
It helps them recognize individual words within continuous speech.
Word segmentation allows humans to recognize words within continuous speech.
A child hears the following sentence: “The driver slowed down, looked in the mirror, then stopped the car.” Which cognitive process demonstrates a lexical priming?
he child processes the word “car” quickly because it is related to “driver.”
This demonstrates lexical priming, in which a word primes the meaning for a subsequent similar word.
articulatory suppression
a phenomenon that occurs when a person is prevented from rehearsing items to be remembered by repeating an irrelevant sound, such as “the, the, the”
central executive
The control center of the working memory system is known as the central executive. This component is essential for coordinating and managing the flow of information between the two main subsystems of working memory: the phonological loop (which handles verbal and auditory information) and the visuospatial sketchpad (which deals with visual and spatial information).
The central executive doesn’t store information itself but instead acts as a “supervisor” by:
• Allocating attention to different tasks or types of information (like shifting focus between a conversation and reading a map). • Switching tasks or strategies, depending on what the person needs to remember or do (e.g., deciding to visualize a list of items rather than verbally rehearsing them). • Integrating information from the phonological loop and visuospatial sketchpad to help with complex cognitive tasks, such as problem-solving or decision-making.
For example, if you’re driving while listening to directions, the central executive would coordinate your mental resources so you can process the spoken instructions (phonological loop) while navigating and keeping an eye on your surroundings (visuospatial sketchpad). It keeps these tasks organized and ensures they don’t interfere with each other.
the process of grouping small units of information into larger, meaningful units, increasing the capacity of STM
chunking
control processes
An example of control processes in the modal model of memory is rehearsal—the conscious repetition of information to keep it in short-term memory or transfer it into long-term memory.
For instance, imagine you’re trying to memorize a phone number. You might repeat the digits to yourself multiple times to keep them in mind. This act of repetition is a control process that helps maintain the information in short-term memory, allowing you to hold onto it long enough to dial the number or possibly store it in long-term memory for future recall.
Other examples of control processes include:
• Focusing attention on certain details in a text you’re reading, which helps you remember important points. • Elaborative encoding, such as creating associations or linking new information to something you already know, to make the information easier to remember.
These control processes vary by task and individual needs, giving people some flexibility in how they process and retain information.
delayed-response task
An example of a delayed response task used in animal research involves training monkeys to remember the location of food. Here’s how it typically works:
1. A monkey watches as a piece of food is hidden under one of two or more containers. 2. A screen is lowered, blocking the monkey’s view of the containers for a set delay period, such as a few seconds or even minutes. 3. After the delay, the screen is raised, and the monkey is allowed to choose a container.
To successfully retrieve the food, the monkey must hold the location information in working memory during the delay. If the monkey chooses the correct container, it shows that it retained the memory of where the food was hidden. This task helps researchers understand the role of working memory and the brain areas (like the prefrontal cortex) involved in maintaining information over short delays.
echoic memory
the persistence of sound in the mind for a few seconds after the presentation of the original auditory stimulus
the process of transferring information into long-term memory, illustrated in the modal model when Rachel memorizes the phone number for Mineo’s Pizza
encoding
episodic buffer
The episodic buffer is a component of working memory proposed by Baddeley that temporarily holds and integrates information from different sources, including long-term memory (LTM), the phonological loop, and the visuospatial sketchpad. It helps explain how working memory can store more complex information and allows different types of information to interact.
Example:
Imagine you’re listening to a friend describe a memorable vacation while also picturing the beach they visited, recalling a similar experience you had. Here, the episodic buffer combines the verbal information from your friend (processed by the phonological loop), the mental image of the beach (processed by the visuospatial sketchpad), and your related memories from LTM, creating a richer, unified experience in your mind.This integration allows you to understand, connect, and respond meaningfully to the story.
event-related potential (ERP)
A brain response recorded from scalp electrodes that reflects neural activity linked to cognitive processes like working memory.
event-related potential (ERP)
the frontal lobe plays a significant role in thel event-related potentials (ERPs), especially for ERPs related to higher cognitive functions like attention, decision-making, and working memory. The frontal lobe, particularly the prefrontal cortex, is involved in processes like:
1. Attention and Task Monitoring: 2. Cognitive Control and Decision-Making: 3. Memory and Language Processing: .
So, the frontal lobe is integral to ERPs, particularly for components that reflect complex cognitive tasks, as it helps manage and regulate the mental processes that ERPs capture.
a short-lived sensory memory for visual stimuli that registers all or most of the information hitting visual receptors but decays within less than a second
iconic memory
information processing approach
an approach to cognition that views the mind as a computer-like system that processes information through attention, perception, memory, and problem-solving
the stage of memory that can hold a large amount of information for years or even decades, as proposed in the modal model of memory
long-term memory (LTM
introduced by Richard Atkinson and Richard Shiffrin in 1968,
The Atkinson-Shiffrin model (also known as the modal model of memory) was introduced by Richard Atkinson and Richard Shiffrin in 1968. This model describes how information flows through three main types of memory:
1. Sensory Memory – where sensory information is briefly held, like sights and sounds. 2. Short-Term Memory – where information is temporarily stored and actively used for tasks. 3. Long-Term Memory – where information is stored more permanently for future retrieval.
The model illustrates that information passes sequentially from sensory memory to short-term memory, and, with rehearsal, can transfer into long-term memory for lasting retention.
neural dynamics of working memory
The neural dynamics of working memory are the brain’s ways of keeping information active and accessible for a short time so we can use it for tasks like problem-solving or making decisions.
Here’s a simple breakdown of how it works:
1. Active Neurons: Certain brain cells (neurons), especially in the prefrontal cortex, keep firing to hold information, like remembering a phone number briefly. This activity keeps the information “online” even when we’re not actively thinking about it. 2. Communication Between Brain Areas: Different parts of the brain, such as the prefrontal cortex and areas that handle visual or verbal information, work together. This teamwork lets us remember and work with different types of information at the same time. 3. Brain Waves: Patterns of brain waves help organize and sync the activity of neurons across these areas. These waves, like theta and gamma rhythms, help coordinate when neurons fire so information stays clear and connected.
In short, working memory is like a temporary, active workspace in the brain, with neurons and brain waves working together to keep important information ready for whatever task we’re doing.
persistence of vision
the continued perception of a visual stimulus after it is no longer present, lasting only a fraction of a second.
phonological loop:
holds verbal and auditory information; consists of the phonological store and the articulatory rehearsal process
recall
a memory task in which participants are presented with stimuli and, after a delay, asked to report back as many of the stimuli as possible
You notice a must-have sweater on a TV commercial and want to remember the store’s name so you can buy it later.
Which scenario demonstrates the use of a control process of the modal model of memory to remember what store sold the sweater?
Repeating the store’s name for over a minute to remember it later
Focusing attention and then repeating the store’s name for over 20 seconds is an effective control process to encode information into long-term memory.
a control process involving the repetition of a stimulus, such as repeating a phone number to keep it in STM, as depicted in the modal model
rehearsal