Thinking & Language (Chapter 8) Flashcards
Label for approaches that sought to explain observable behavior by investigating mental processes and structures that cannot be observed
Cognitive Psychology
The way in which information is processed and manipulated in remembering, thinking, & knowing
Cognition
Process of manipulating information mentally, by forming concepts solving problems, making decisions, reasoning, and thinking critically and creatively.
Thinking
Mental categories that are used to group objects, events, and characteristics
Concepts
The mental process of finding an appropriate way to attain a goal when the goal is not readily available (Why and how we think)
Problem solving
Intermediate goals or intermediate problems that put us in a better position for reaching the final goal or solution
Subgoaling
Ex: Checklist
Strategies - Including formulas, instructions, & testing of all possible solutions - that guarantee a solution to a problem
Algorithms
Ex: Recipe
Shortcut strategies or guidelines that suggest a solution to a problem but do not guarantee an answer
Heuristics
Using a prior strategy and failing to look at a problem from a fresh, new perspective
Becoming fixated
Type of fixation in which individuals fail to solve a problem as a result of a fixation on a thing’s usual functions
Functional Fixedness
Ex: Using a shoe to hammer a nail
The mental activity of transforming information to reach conclusions
Reasoning
Reasoning from specific observations to make generalizations
Inductive Reasoning
Reasoning from a general case that is known to be true to a specific instance
Deductive reasoning
The mental activity of evaluating alternatives and choosing among them
Decision making
Ex: Weighing both sides
The tendency to strongly prefer to avoid losses compared to acquiring gains
Loss Aversion
Ex: Scratch off ticket
The tendency to search for and use information that supports one’s ideas rather than refutes them
Confirmation Bias
Ex: Align yourself with someone who shares the same views as you
A prediction about the probability of an event based on the ease of recalling or imagining similar events
Availability Heuristic
Ex: More dangerous to fly than ride in a car
The tendency to ignore information about general principles in favor of very specific but vivid information
Base Rate Neglect
Ex: Listen to one; ignore other information
The tendency to make judgments about group membership based on physical appearance or math between a person and one stereotype of a group rather than on available base rate information
Representative Heuristic
Ex: Bias (Expecting mechanic to be a male)
Superior Problem Solving, evaluating evidence, questioning assumptions, keeping an open mind
Critical thinking
Being alert and mentally prepared for everyday activities
Mindfulness
Being receptive to other ways of looking at things
Open-mindedness
The ability to think about something in novel and unusual ways and devise unconventional solutions to problems
Creative Thinking
Thinking that produces many solutions to the same problem, is characteristic of creativity.
Divergent Thinking
Ex: Brainstorming
