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Cognitive Psychology > Knowledge > Flashcards

Knowledge Flashcards

1
Q

Conceptual Knowledge

A

Allows us to recognize objects and categorize them

Allows you to know how to interact with things

Make inferences about them

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2
Q

What is a Concept?

A

The mental representation of

a class or individual and the categories of objects, events, and abstract ideas

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3
Q

Category

A

Includes all possible items that fall under a certain concept

“pointers to knowledge”

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4
Q

Name the functions of concepts

A

Classify into categories

Allows us to communicate with each other – we all have similar concepts and make similar inferences

To learn concepts by association (generalization)

Create new knowledge by putting together existing concepts

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5
Q

Family resemblence

A

Members of a category resemble each other in a variety of ways

more resemblance to your category = closer association (Typicality)

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6
Q

Typicality

A

An effect

Sentence verification task

most common members of a category should have faster RT

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7
Q

Sentence Verification Test

A

People identify whether sentence is accurate (Yes or no)

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8
Q

Naming

A

People tend to name common members of a category first

then name less common

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9
Q

Priming

A

If a cue for a stimulus increases one’s ability to recognize it increases

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10
Q

Definitional Approach Theory

A

States that we have definitions of what belongs in a category and not in others

*NOT most supported, lacks specificity, works best for geometric objjects

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11
Q

Feature Set Theory

A

Suggests we compare the features of an item with the features of a category

Defining features and characteristic features

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12
Q

Defining Features

A

Member must have these features to belong to a category

e.g. Cat MUST have whiskers

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13
Q

Characteristic features

A

Typical features of a category, not necessary to have

e.g. fur and a cat (hairless)

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14
Q

Prototype Theory

A

Suggests that we don’t focus on features but focus on the ideal prototype for a category

Explains typicality (still lacks some clarity)

Prototype and schematic average

Deals with fuzzy boundaries

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15
Q

Prototype

A

Idealized form of the whole category, not present in real life (idealized)

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16
Q

Schematic Average

A

Average of every feature, characteristic, and dimension of all members of the category – If an item is sufficiently similar to this, we can categorize it as the same

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17
Q

Exemplar Theory

A

Suggests that we compare instances to actual exemplar of the category

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18
Q

Exemplar

A

An actual instance of a member in that category– compare until a match is found or list is exhausted

Is often an average member of the group

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19
Q

ALL categorization is done by…

A

Episodic memory

20
Q

Which theories of categorization have most support?

A

Prototype and exemplar

Both account for all important findings in different ways

21
Q

Which is the categorization theory is most likely to be used when learning a new category?

A

Prototype

22
Q

Which categorization theory is used when you know the category is known well?

A

Exemplar

23
Q

Levels of categorization

A

Superordinate

Basic

Subordinate

24
Q

Superordinate

A

Broadest (furniture or animal)

25
Q

Basic

A

Instances

Chair or dog – typically used in teaching

26
Q

Subordinate

A

Subtypes

e.g. beanbag chair or doberman

27
Q

Two main principles of categorization

A

The larger the category, the more searching involved and longer the response time (subordinate takes longer)

More levels, more searching involved

28
Q

Explain: More levels to go through, the more searching involved

A

RT is longer if you go up two levels rather than one

29
Q

Concepts: Experience and knowledge

A

The more experience with a concept, more specific categories used

30
Q

Networks

A

Things that are linked and connected (usually in a meaningful and effective way)

Stronger connection = faster RT

31
Q

Semantic Networks

A

States that information is organized semantically (by meaning)

Information at different levels is responded to differently

“Is a” levels - longer RT due to processing

31
Q

Criticisms of Semantic Networks

A

Does not explain typicality

Some hierarchal orders are not quicker, and doesn’t account for everything

32
Q

Connectionist Networks

A

AKA parallel processing

Views all information as connected and accessed by a pattern of activation

Similar to computers

Parallel, distributed, nodes/units

Connections are weak or strong

33
Q

Parallel connection

A

Not serial

Happens all at once

34
Q

Distributed Connection

A

Not localized

35
Q

Node/unit connection

A

Bits of info

excitatory or inhibitory

36
Q

Graceful Degredation

A

Occurs when the input signal is incomplete (degraded)

Or damage within the system (brain damage)

Can still activate if not entirely there, but there is a point

37
Q

Generalization

A

Knowledge about one thing can generalize to another – e.g. fruit, a lot of berries are sweet and yummy, you haven’t had a blackberry, assume they are the same.

38
Q

Back propagation

A

When an error is made, the signal gets transmitted back through the network

effects weight of connections

efficient way of learning by unlearning incorrect info

39
Q

Pros of Parallel processing/connectionist networks

A

Pros:
Mimics actual brain activity

Explains how fast process occurs

Explains how incomplete information can be recognized

40
Q

Cons of parallel processing/connectionist networks

A

Some processes occur serially

Relationships among nodes are unclear

41
Q

To understand brain damage due to encephalitis:

A

Loss of ability to name objects in categories

Ability to identify objects but not living things

42
Q

Sensory-Functional Hypothesis

A

Some people with damage can have category-specific memory impairment

Sensory - Animal

Functional - Artifacts/tools

Have a problem with sensory or functional

43
Q

Semantic category Approach

A

Some brain areas are responsible for different categories (identified based on meaning)

Networks may have evolved to promote survival

circuit for living things could be damaged

44
Q

Multiple-Factor Approach

A

Conceptual organization

How similar the members of category are

Telling from leopard to a cheetah

E.g. animals are identified by movement and colour

Objects associated with the actions performed with them

Mechanical objects = both

45
Q

Crowding

A

How similar properties are between the members of the categories

makes differences more difficult

46
Q

Embodied Approach

A

Suggests that our knowledge of the concepts is based on the reactivation of the sensory and motor processes that occur when we interact with the object

Bring up experience

more distinct with artifacts than living things

Cognitive Psychology (3 decks)

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