Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

Psychology > Language & Thought > Flashcards

Language & Thought Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
AP® Psychology flashcards GRE® Psychology flashcards Psychology 101 flashcards
1
Q

What is thinking?

A

Manipulating mental representations for a purpose

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What are mental models?

A

Representations that describe, explain or predict the way things work

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What does categorisation involve?

A

Recognising an object as a member of a category

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What is a concept?

A

A mental representation of a category

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What are defining features?

A

Qualities that are essential/necessarily present in order to classify objects as members of a category

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

How can objects be categorised?

A

By comparison with defining features and by similarity/dissimilarity to prototypes

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What is a prototype?

A

An abstraction across many instances of categories (i.e. a typical example of a category of things)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

How are many concepts organised?

A

Hierarchically

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What does efficient thinking require?

A

Choosing the right level of abstraction in a hierarchy of concepts

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What are the three levels of categorisation in a hierarchy?

A
  • Superordinate: Category members share few common features (e.g. mammal)
  • Basic: Broadest, most inclusive level, category members share common attributes (e.g. dog)
  • Subordinate: Category members share specific attributes (e.g. kelpie)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

At which hierarchy level do people categorise most quickly?

A

Basic

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

True or false: Categorisation is a functional process

A

True

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

What is reasoning?

A

The process by which people generate and evaluate arguments and beliefs, typically to try to solve problems

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

What are the two types of reasoning?

A

Inductive and deductive

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What is inductive reasoning?

A

Reasoning from specific observations to generate propositions, relies heavily on probabilities

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

What is deductive reasoning?

A

Drawing a conclusion from a set of assumptions or premises (e.g. syllogisms)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

What does a syllogism consist of?

A

Two premises that lead to a logical conclusion, e.g.
A. All dogs have fur
B. Kelly is a dog
Conclusion: Kelly has fur

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

What is analogical reasoning?

A

The process by which people understand a novel situation in terms of a familiar one

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

What is analogical reasoning influenced by?

A

The similarity of the situations, the ease of mapping their elements and the reasoner’s goals

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

What is problem solving?

A

The process of transforming one situation into another to meet a goal

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

What is the difference between a well-defined and an ill-defined problem?

A

A well-defined problem has a correct answer and applying certain procedures leads to a solution.
An ill-defined problem often has an unclear solution (no one correct answer)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

What are three problem solving strategies?

A

Algorithms (systematic procedures), mental simulation (mental rehearsal) and hypothesis testing (educated guess/testing)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

What is functional fixedness?

A

Restricting the use of an object to its usual uses

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

What is mental set?

A

The tendency to keep using the same problem solving techniques that have worked in the past

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

What is confirmation bias?

A

The tendency for people to search for confirmation of what they already believe, overlooking information that contradicts their belief

26
Q

How can irrelevant/misleading information affect problem solving?

A

When problems are complex it is easier to focus on irrelevant/misleading information

27
Q

How can assumptions affect problem solving?

A

By preventing certain solutions

28
Q

How can barriers to problem solving be overcome?

A

Restructure the problem and represent it in a novel way

29
Q

What is decision making?

A

The process of weighing the pros and cons of different alternatives in order to make a choice

30
Q

What is the weighted utility value?

A

A combined judgement of the importance of an attribute and the extent to which a given option satisfies it (e.g. $5 for lunch = cost of different options is given a higher weighting)

31
Q

What is expected utility?

A

A combined judgement of the weighted utility and the expected probability of obtaining an outcome

32
Q

What is explicit cognition?

A

Conscious manipulation of representations

33
Q

What are heuristics?

A

Cognitive shortcuts that allow for rapid, but sometimes irrational, judgements/choices

34
Q

What is a representativeness heuristic?

A

Probability of an event is based on how similar it is to a typical prototype of that event

35
Q

What is an availability heuristic?

A

Events more easily remembered are judged as more probable

36
Q

What is bounded rationality, or satisficing?

A

People are rational within the bounds imposed by their environment, goals and abilities - leads to making good-enough judgements, rather than optimal judgements

37
Q

What is implicit cognition?

A

Cognition outside of awareness (i.e. unconscious)

38
Q

‘Aha’ experiences are an example of what type of problem solving?

A

Implicit

39
Q

What is the framing effect?

A

Decisions are influenced by how a decision is stated

40
Q

What encourages a risk-aversion strategy?

A

A choice framed in terms of gains

41
Q

What encourages a risk-taking strategy?

A

A choice framed in terms of losses

42
Q

What are expected emotions?

A

Emotions people predict they will feel for a particular outcome

43
Q

What are immediate emotions?

A

Experienced at the time of the decision

44
Q

What are the two types of immediate emotions?

A

Integral (associated with a decision) and incidental (unrelated to the decision)

45
Q

What does connectionism, or parallel distributed processing, suggest?

A

Most cognitive processes occur simultaneously through the action of multiple activated networks

46
Q

What is language?

A

The system of symbols, sounds, meanings and rules for their combination that constitutes the primary mode of communication among humans

47
Q

What does the Whorfian hypothesis of linguist relativity suggest?

A

Language shapes thought

48
Q

What are the four properties of language?

A

Symbolic, semantic, generative and structured

49
Q

What are the two unique features of language?

A

Hierarchy and rules

50
Q

What are phonemes?

A

The smallest speech units, e.g. th

51
Q

What are morphemes?

A

The smallest units of meaning, e.g. -ing

52
Q

What are phrases?

A

Groups of words that act as a unit and convey meaning

53
Q

What are sentences?

A

Organised sequences of words that express a thought or intention

54
Q

What are semantics?

A

The rules that govern the meaning of morphemes, words, phrases and sentences

55
Q

What is syntax?

A

The rules that govern to placement of words and phrases in a sentence

56
Q

What is syntax an aspect of?

A

Grammer

57
Q

What is discourse?

A

The way people ordinarily speak, hear, read and write in interconnected sentences

58
Q

How do people represent discourse?

A
  • Exact wording
  • Gist/general meaning
  • Suspended reality (e.g. ‘imagine you are..’)
  • Communication
  • Conversation
59
Q

What does non-verbal communication include?

A
  • Vocal intonation
  • Body language
  • Gestures
  • Physical distance
  • Facial expressions
  • Touch
  • Non-verbal vocalisation (e.g. throat clearing)
60
Q

What is the concept of universal grammar?

A

An innate, shared set of linguistic principles that underlies the grammatical forms found in all cultures

Psychology (10 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions