Thinking

Question 1

Thinking involves…

Answer 1

cognitive processes (process in which sensory information is transformed, reduced, stored, recovered and used)

Question 2

Cognitive Psychology (definiton, uses what, acknowledges, who disagrees)

Answer 2

the branch of psychology that studies the mental activities (cognitive processes) that are associated with how people think, perceive, learn, remember and communicate information

• utilizes scientifc method
• explictly acknowledges the existence of internal mental states (behavorism will disagree because they belive in studying only observable behavior)

Question 3

Thinking Operational definion

Answer 3

The mental representation and manipulation of information

-information can come in the form of images, words/sounds, and concepts

Question 4

How do we manipulate information

Answer 4

We mentally manipulate information when we solve problems, make decisions, and engage in creative pursuits

Question 5

How do we represent information, why, and how does that work

Answer 5

we form concepts: mental groups of similar objects, events, ideas, or ppl

• helps to simplify our thinking processes
• provides a lot of information with little effort (similar to schemas and semantic networks)
• forming a concept beings with a prototype: a mental image or “best example” of a category; if something closely matches our prototype of a concept, we are able to recognize it more readily

Question 6

Problem solving

Answer 6

employing cognitve strategies to find a solution to a problem; humans are good at problem solving

Question 7

Problem solving methods

Answer 7

1) trial and error
2) applying algorithims
3) accessing heuristics
3a. availabilty heuristic
3b. representative heuristic

Question 8

Trial and Error

Answer 8

keep trying until you get it right

Question 9

Applying Algorithims definiton, pros, and cons

Answer 9

a methodical, logical, or step by step procedure that guarantees a solution or desired outcome

Pro: answer is assued

Con: every effortful, time consuming, hard

Question 10

Accessing Heuritics

what is it, pro and con

Answer 10

-simple thinking strategy, mental shortcut, rule of thumb

Pro: helps make judgements and solve problems quickly and easy

Cons: error prone, not reliable, lead to cognitve bias

Question 11

Availability Heuristic

Answer 11

• judging the likehood of an event based on its availabilty in memory
• if we can easily recall instances of event, the mroe common we think that event is

Question 12

Representative Heuristic

Answer 12

If something closely resembles your concept of a category, the more likely you are to assume it belongs in that category

Question 13

Cognitive Bias

Answer 13

confirmation bias: tendency to search for information that supports your preconceptions, attitudes, beliefs, and reject information that contradicts them