Thinking & Intelligence Flashcards
Cognitive Psychology
What’s happening in the brain
Linguistic relativity hypothesis
Do we need language to think?.. not always
- perceptions and thoughts are shaped by the language we speak.. not accurate
- Language does influence thoughts and memories and how we perceive BUT does not limit our perceptions Ex) bump vs. crash
- Store memories using language or connection to a word
Schemas
Categories of knowledge
- influence how we think
- decision making
- stereotypes: inaccurate info, ex) nerds
Prototypes
- best example of a category
- Ex: may compare all other dog to your own dog
Deductive Reasoning
General to specific conclusion
- Ex) all standard cars have 4 wheels, Maria’s car is a standard, Maria’s car has 4 wheels
- Errors occur when we follow logic + result in invalid conclusions
Inductive Reasoning
Specific (individual cases/facts) to general conclusion
- Ex) cards with diff # of symbols
- each trial (right or wrong answers) helps you to reach a conclusion
- General conclusion= to win you want to choose the cards with 3 objects
Algorithms
- procedures/formulas/steps used to solve a problem
- may take time and doesn’t work for everything: not effective, too many steps
Heuristics
“Rule of thumb”
-shortcuts used to quickly solve a problem
Trial-and-error
- trying new solutions until you find out what works
- adults become afraid of this method/afraid of failing
- especially used by kids
Insight
- sudden awareness
- realize similar to past experience or “perceptual reorganization”
- made connection the brain has not made before
Availability Heuristics
- Bias
- easier to bring to mind
- believe it is more common
- Ex) being more afraid of dying in a shark attack vs. everyday activities that kill more people statistically/realistically
Representative Heuristics
- Bias
- After we create categories, make assumptions that they are the same
- Comparing new info to prototypes
- think 2 events can be the same but no events are the same
Errors in Problem Solving + Decision Making
Mental Set
-tendency to use strategies we are familiar with, but not always easiest or best strategy
-more likely to think about things in 1 way vs. thinking outside the box
-self-imposed limitations
-functional fixedness: see things as having only 1 function
Bias
-confirmation: look for things to confirm the rule, don’t look for the opposite
-hindsight: after learning about an event we believe that the event could have been predicted
Ex) blaming victim “you should have known better”
What is Intelligence
- ability to solve problems and learn complex material effectively
- ability to adapt to the environment, “street smart”
- mental quickness: not always true
- Tests: solving problems, learning and understanding complex material, IQ tests
Intelligence quotient (IQ)
- originally computed by dividing mental age by chronological age and multiplying by 100
- new method uses normal distribution (Avg is set at 100 for each age group)
Binet and Simon (1905)
- developed intelligence test for the French Gov.
- wanted test to identify children who needed extra help in the classroom
- used “normal” children from multiple age groups, compared avg scores to other children
- lower mental age than chronological age meant slow learners
- later adapted = Stanford-Binet Scale (older people appeared less intelligent break test into different age groups)
David Wechsler
-developed scales in 1939, later revised
-used more frequently today
-took into account mental maturity
-used in schools to pinpoint learning problems
-Types:
Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS)
Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC)
Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence (WPPSI)
Cattell’s Types of Intelligence
- crystallized intelligence: knowledge we have acquired from past learning
- fluid intelligence: ability to think, reason, and solve problems
Sternberg’s Triarchic Theory
- Analytical: write, math, understand
- Practical: use experience and knowledge to handle new tasks (common sense)
- Creative: determine, analyze, monitor (not limited to art)
Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligence
Could have combination of the following forms of intelligence:
- linguistic, verbal
- logical-mathematics
- spatial, manipulate mental images and relationship in space
- bodily-kinesthetics, movement and coordination
- musical
- naturalistic, observe and recognize changes
- interpersonal, understand others
- intrapersonal, understand self
Smart Genes, Smart Environment
- Twin studies prove environ: more genes in common results in higher correlation. Regular siblings are less correlated than fraternal twins (same genes but diff time period/environment)
- Adoption studies prove genetics: adopted child IQ better correlated with biological mother’s IQ, identical twins raised apart have higher correlation than other siblings raised apart
- Environment: Socioeconomic status, poor nutrition, poor brain development. Parents education can impact child’s development and the child’s IQ
Race-Ethnicity Intelligence
- Environment
- Test bias: measures culture more than intelligence, tests geared toward middle-class white ppl
- Environmental diff: socioeconomic status, family size.
- Background: Not all cultures see intelligence in the same way, some ppl more comfortable testing (depending on what school they went to), who’s giving the test? racist?..may grade harder
- Stereotype threat: Can influence outcomes by causing stress EX) male or female. ethnicity
Gender and Intelligence
-males score higher on spatial reasoning
-females score higher on verbal reasoning
-Sex hormones? Women and men’s cycles cause different hormone levels so test scores can differ at diff. times. High testosterone increases spatial while lower testosterone increases verbal skills
-Society? Stereotypes: Ex. women are not good at math-won’t have to try as hard bc you believe you aren’t capable
Ex. children are given a task and depending on what you classify the task as will change their effort
Ex. Basketball challenge: 2% said girls would do better than the boys so boys were 5x more likely to choose $2 per basket versus the girls who mostly chose only 50cents
Intellectual Disabilities
- score of 70 or lower
- impairment in conceptual, social, and/or practical
- Causes: genetic (down syndrome), environmental (FAS) during fetal development
Misconceptions of Disabilities
IS NOT THE INABILITY TO LEARN
-can still learn to function as adults
-shaping and reinforcement can help
Stereotypes
-Myths: can’t ever find a job, have a relationship, won’t live independently
-Truths: Many can live independently, have jobs, and relationships
Gifted
-IQ of at least 135 but usually 150-180
-most research on IQ over 150
Causes:
-genetic/biology (Gifted males have slightly lower testosterone than average while gifted females have slightly higher testosterone than average)
-environment: authoritative parenting, rich and stimulating environment
-not sure which has more of an impact
Gifted Compared to Average
- same processing but gifted are more effective and driven
- Gifted have a difficulty with social skills possibly linked to being rejected at a younger age and they have twice the rate of emotional and social problems
- Smart people can fail due to lack of motivation, impulse control, procrastination, concentration, fear
Savant Syndrome
-combo of intellectual disability and gifted
-high performance in a area and low performance in most other areas
-research:
Autistics are very good at identifying music notes
Higher cognitions override unique abilities.. could be proven through magnetic impulse but research is difficult to obtain without damaging the individuals
