Exam 1 Flashcards
Cognition
acquisition, storage, and transformation of information
Cognitive processes
memory, motor movement, attention, language
Introspection
the observation of one’s own mental and emotional processes
Behaviorism
the observation of behavior - not of one’s self
Information Processing Approach
stimulus –> attention –> perception –> thought processes –> decision –> response
Contemporary Cognitive Psychology
understanding cognitive processing through computation, logic, and mathematical modeling
3 branches of cognitive psychology
Experimental Cognitive Psychology - understanding the processes that underline behavior and cognition. Ex. stroop test
Cognitive Neuroscience - understanding the neural mechanisms that influence cognition. Ex. EEGs, sleep studies
Computational Cognitive Science - understanding cognitive processing through computation and logic. Ex. if, then’s
Frontal Lobe
behind forehead - judgment, decision-making
Parietal Lobe
behind frontal lobe - touch, body feelings
Temporal Lobe
between ears - auditory processing, language, and memory
Occipital Lobe
back of head - visual processing
Forebrain
cognitive processing
Midbrain
consciousness
Hindbrain
human functions
Brodmann Area
covers 100 areas of the brain; associated with different cellular components
Sensation
stimulation of sensory receptors by environmental stimuli
Transduction
process by which sensations become perceptions
Perception
set of processes by which we recognize, organize, and make sense of environmental stimuli
Why are illusions important for sensation and perception?
Important for understanding the differences between sensation and perception in which they create a mental representation of the stimulus - tendency to perceive constancy despite changes in sensation.
Top-Down Processing
the context surrounding the stimulus will cue you into the meaning. Ex. 12 B 14 OR
A Same stimulus
B
C
Bottom-Up Processing
perceiver builds a representation based on sensory input and stimulus information. Ex. black & white splotches and the distinct cow
Template Theory
take a new stimulus and attempt to match it with a stored template. Ex. chair
Prototype Theory
you have created a mental representation and every new stimulus gets ranked and falls in a category. Ex. tomato: fruit or vegetable?
Feature Matching Theory
break stimulus down into components; identify its features, reconstruct it, then name it - we recognize patterns based on features. Ex. T –> l L | –> T –> “T”
Recognition by Components Theory
geons - shapes. Objects - things that are made up by your version of geons. Ex. figuring out the rest of an object
Gestalt Law of Pragnanz
a visual array is perceived in the simplest and more organized form. Ex. 2 triangles/3 circles
Pattern Recognition
identification of a perceptual object
Figure-Ground Distinction
the subject in the array is highlighted and the background fades to the back. Ex. mouse/cat illusion
Proximity
articulates that we see things and group them based on how close they are. Ex. dots & closeness - 12/group & 3 groups
Similarity
group things that are alike. Ex. red and black dots
Continuity
breaking stimuli down - we perceive smooth lines. Ex. X - is it two lines that intersect or two sideway V’s? Two lines that intersect
Closure
articulates that we put boundaries on figures. Ex. 2 triangles/3 circles
Symmetry
we assume that figures are symmetric. Ex. What does the other half of half a heart look like?
Size Constancy
The same size circle with different sized shapes around it
Shape Constancy
door opening, gets thinner
Color Constancy
blue or yellow lit rooms, colors differ
Perceptual Constancy
tendency to perceive constancy despite changes in sensation –> it provides the experience of stability
Face Processing
unique as it detects faces holistically
3 pieces of evidence of face processing
brain tissue (FFA) upright faces are processed holistically/upside down faces are treated as objects prosopagnosia - "face blindness" - doesn't process faces like faces
Visual agnosia
deficit in the ability to perceive sensory information
“What” pathway
helps identify objects (moves to temporal lobe)
“Where/How” pathway
helps identify where objects are in relation to your body and how you can interact with it
Attention
selecting certain stimuli from available stimulus, and focusing cognitive resources on those selected
Consciousness
the feeling of awareness and the content of that awareness - conscious awareness may emerge once “attention” is brought to the attention of the “mind”
Pre-Consciouss Processing
information sitting between consciousness and attention. Ex. blinking, blindsight, memories
Habituation
becoming accustomed to a stimulus. Ex. living near the airport and getting used to the noise
Dishabituation
a change in the stimulus that prompts conscious awareness. Ex. eat orange pixy stix, get used to it, eat purple pixy stix, orange is sour again
Signal Detection
detecting a stimulus in a field of irrelevant distractor stimuli. Ex. Hit, Miss, False Alarm, and Correct Rejection
Active Signal Detection
“search”
Passive Signal Detection
vigilance (hunting) - attention to a field of stimuli for an extended period of time (can cause fatigue)
Distractor Similarity
distractor looks like the target. Ex. creme betweens and oreos
Two stages of signal detection
Parallel: activation of representation of all possible targets
Serial: sequential sifting through each activated item to find the target
Movement Filter Theory
movement affects the ease of search - sometimes it helps, sometimes it inhibits. Ex. brown cow in a field of black cows –> moving is easier to pick it out
Automatic Processes
attention that occurs without awareness. Ex. driving
Controlled Processes
attention that requires consciousness –> becomes automatic with practice. Ex. riding a bike for the first time
Automatization
the process by which something controlled becomes automatic (over learning). Ex. fire drills, flight attendant safety procedure
Selective Attention
focusing on one stimulus and not others. Ex. talking on the phone with someone
Attentuation Theory
attention lowers the strength of non-target information so that target stimuli are easiest to attend to
Filter Theories
selection for stimulus occurs by blocking (filtering) distractors
Change blindness
a change when a visual stimulus is introduced but goes unnoticed. Ex. Video: Whodunnit?
Divided Attention Theories
Kahneman’s Attention Theory
Wicken’s Multiple Resource Theory
Posner’s Spotlight of Attention Theory
Kahneman’s Attention Theory
single component of resources
can multitask - just uses same resource
the more tasks you do at once, the more errors occur
Wicken’s Multiple Resource Theory
attention is a combination of multiple resources
can do as many different things at the same time, as long as they don’t take up the same module
Posner’s Spotlight of Attention Model
multitasking is impossible
attention serves as a spotlight; cannot focus on different tasks
3 Functions of Conscious Attention
signal, selective, and divided attention
