Language and Thought (Chapter 9) Flashcards
Language
System for communicating with others using signals that are combined according to rules of grammar and that convey meaning
Grammar
Set of rules that specify how the units of language can be combined to produce meaningful messages
Human language (is unique because)
We have words representing intangible things
Phonemes
Smallest distinctive sound units in language (40-44 in English language)
Morphemes
Smallest language unit that carry meaning
Behaviorist explanations for language
It is easily learned through operant conditioning and imitation
Nativist explanations for language
Language is innate, humans have universal grammar: collection of processes that facilitate language learning
Interactionist explanations for language
Social interactions play a crucial role in language, along with innate language abilities
Broca’s area
Controls language expression—an area of the left frontal lobe
Wernicke’s area
Controls language reception —involved in language comprehension; left temporal lobe
Linguistic relativity
Structure of a language affects its speakers’ worldview or cognition, and thus people’s perceptions are relative to their spoken language
Cognition
The mental activities associated with thinking, knowing, judging, problem solving, and remembering.
Concepts
Mental category that groups objects, activities, abstractions, or qualities having a common properties
Mental image
A representation in the mind that mirrors or resembles the thing it represents
Prototype
A typical best example or cognitive representation of something within a certain category
Dunning-Kruger Effect
a cognitive bias in which people assess their cognitive ability as greater than it is (invisible lemon man)
Intuition
An effortless, immediate, automatic feeling or thought, as contrasted with explicit, conscious reasoning
System 1
Fast - operates automatically and involuntarily; unconscious, can’t be stopped, and runs continuously. 98%
System 2
Slow - only called upon when necessary to reason, compute, analyze and solve problems. Confirms or corrects. 2%
Trial and error
Random problem-solving by trying one solution after another
Algorithm
Methodical, logical rule or procedure that guarantees a solution to a problem
Heuristic
Simpler strategy that is usually speedier than an algorithm but is also more error prone. (mental rule-of-thumb)
Insight
Not a strategy-based solution, but rather a sudden flash of inspiration that solves a problem. (insight-related activity is centered in the right temporal lobe)
Confirmation bias
Tendency to gather evidence that confirms preexisting expectations
Belief perseverance
Tendency to cling to beliefs in the face of contrary evidence
Functional fixedness
Bias that limits a person to use an object only in the way it is traditionally used
Mental set
Tendency to approach a problem with a mind-set that has worked successfully in the past
Availability heuristic
Mental shortcut that involves judging the possibility of an event on the basis of how easily the event can be recalled from memory
Representativeness heuristic
Mental shortcut that involves estimating the likelihood of events in terms of how well they seem to represent, or match, particular prototypes; which can lead us to ignore relevant information
Framing effect
People decide on options based on whether the options are presented with positive or negative connotations; as a loss or as a gain
Divergent thinking
Creative thinking that diverges in different directions. Expands the number of possible problem solutions (frontal lobe)
Convergent thinking
Narrows the available problem solutions to determine the single best solution (parietal lobe)
Sunk-cost fallacy
People make decisions about a current situation based on what they have previously invested in the situation
Optimism bias
People believe that, compared with other individuals, they are more likely to experience positive events and less likely to experience negative events in the future
Prospect theory
People choose to take on risk when evaluating potential losses and avoid risks when evaluating potential gains
Prospect theory: certainty effect / expected utility
People simplify the available information / choose the prospect with the best value
Illusory truth effect
Repeated exposure to a statement increases the likelihood that people will judge the statement to be true
