Thinking and Decision Making Flashcards
What are analogical representations?
an idea that shares some of the actual characteristics of the object it represents
e.g. the image of a cat
What are symbolic representations?
a mental representation that stands for some content without sharing any characteristics with the thing it represents
e.g. the word cat
What study shows that mental images accurately represent spatial relationships?
Ps were shown a fiction image of an island, it contained various landmarks
After memorising the island, the ps were asked to form a mental image of the island
Ps imaged a black speck going from one landmark to the other, ps had to press the button when the speck reached the target. This was timed.
The time needed to travel between the 2 points on the mental image was proportional to the distance between the 2 points on the map
What study shows that mental images aren’t pictures?
Duck/rabbit image
Ps were shown this image, then were asked to describe the image once it was removed. Some ps recalled seeing a duck, while others recalled a rabbit.
When the ps were asked to interpret the image differently, they couldn’t even with hints and coaxing.
But when the ps were given a piece of paper and drew the image they were imagining, they could interpret the image differently
Do analogical and symbolic representations have resemblance?
Symbolic representations don’t resemble the items they stand for
Symbols are more flexible, we can link ideas to them
Analogical representations have resemblance. They capture the characteristics of what they represent
What are semantic association networks?
Useful for problem solving
nodes: connecting individual symbols
associative links: connection between nodes
What is the spread of activation?
Ps were asked if the words were real
narde > doctor
garden > doctor
nurse > doctor
Faster decision when words were semantically related
A spread of activation was triggered when the ps located the word nurse in their mental dictionary, nearby nodes will include the node doctor. Quicker responses to the pair nurse and doctor
What is deductive reasoning?
Derives new assertions from assertions already in place
Tests beliefs
What is syllogism?
When the conclusion follows the premise
Conclusion is valid if it logically follows the premise
We can have a false premise and valid syllogism
What is the confirmation bias?
Tendency to take evidence that is consist with our beliefs more seriously than evidence that is inconsistent
What was the procedure of Wason’s selection task?
If a card has a vowel on one side, it must have an even number on the other side
A K 4 7
What were the results of Wason’s selection task?
46% of people chose card 4
This doesn’t test if it’s a vowel then it’s even.
More of a test to see if it’s even then it’s a vowel
This isn’t a valid test
Should pick card 7, to test if vowel, then even. This is a valid test. Only 4% of people chose this
Does context matters in confirmation bias?
If a person is drinking beer, then the person must be 19 years of age
Ps were asked which card to clip
- drinking beer
- drinking coke
- 22 years
- 16 years
Context matters, so people performed better at this
Why does context matter for our confirmation bias?
Permission schemas: help us reason about the situation
Daily life if/then situations related to permission
These reasoning skills and strategies have been well practised
What is induction?
Going from one or more specific cases to a more general conclusion
The number of observations matter. The more, the better
Is the current situation similar to the ones previously encountered?
Infer theories from experimental results