Thoughts and language Flashcards
Thinking
Sometimes referred to as reasoning, involves mental processes tat are used to form concepts, solve problems, and engage in creative activities
Cognitive approach
One method of studying how we process, store, and use information and how this information, in turn, influences what we notice, perceive, learn, remember, believe, and feel
Language
Special form of communication in which we learn and use complex rules to form and manipulate symbols that are used to generate an endless number of meaningful sentences
Definition theory
You form a concept of an object, event, animal, or person by making a mental list of the actual or essential characteristics of that particular thing
Prototype theory
You form a concept by creating a mental image that is based on the average characteristics of an object
Problem solving
Searching for some rule, plan, or strategy that results in our reaching a certain goal that is currently out of reach
Algorithms
Find set of rules that, if followed correctly, will eventually lead to a solution
Heuristics
Rules of thumb, or clever and creative mental shortcuts, that reduce the number of operations and allow one to solve problems more easily and quickly
Availability heuristics
That we rely on information that is more prominent or easily recalled and overlook other information that is available but less prominent or notable
Functioned fixed ness
A mental set that is characterized by the inability to see an object as having a function different from its usual one
Analogy
A strategy for finding a similarity between the new situation and an old, familiar situation
Subgoals
A strategy that involves breaking down the overall problem into separate parts that, when completed in oder, will result in solution
Creative thinking
Combination of flexibility in thinking or reorganizing of understanding to produce innovative ideas and new or novel solutions
Creative individual
Someone who regularly solves problems, fashions, products, or defines new questions that make an impact on his or her society
Convergent thinking
Beginning with a problem and coming up with a single correct solution
Divergent thinking
Beginning with a problem and coming up with many different solutions
Savant
About 10% of autistic individuals who show some incredible memory, music, or drawing talent
Word
Arbitrary pairing between a sound or symbol and a meaning
Grammar ( syntax)
Set of rules that specifies how we combine words to form meaningful phrases and sentences
Phonology
Specifies how we make sounds that are used by a particular language
Phonemes
Basic sounds of consonants and vowels
Morphology
System tap hat we use to group phonemes into meaningful combinations of sounds and words
Morpheme
Smallest meaningful combination of sounds in a language
Surface structure
An actual wording of a sentence, as it is spoken
Deep structure
An underlying meaning that is not spoken but is present in the mind of the listener
Transformational rules
Procedures by which we convert our ideas from surface structures into deep structures and from deep structures back into surface ones
Chomsky’s theory of language
All languages share a common universal grammar and that children inherit a mental program to learn this universal grammar
Babbling
Begins at 6 months, first stage in acquiring language
Single words
Second stage in acquiring language, occurs at about 1 and infants say single words
Parentese (motherese)
A way of speaking to young children in which the adults speaks in a slower and higher then normal voice
Two word combinations
Third stage in acquiring language occurs at about 2. Strings of two words express various actions
Sentences
Fourth stage of acquiring language, occur at about 4. Sentences range from 3 to 8 words in length and indicated a growing knowledge the rules of grammar
Telegraphic speech
Distinctive pattern of speaking in which the child omits articles (the), prepositions, (in, out), and parts of verbs
Basic rules of grammar
Rules of combining nouns, verbs, and adjectives to form meaningful sentences
Over generalization
Applying grammatical rule to cases where it should not be used
Innate language factors
genetically programmed physiological and neurological features that facilitate our making speech sounds and acquiring language skill
Environmental language factors
Interactions children have with parent, peers, teachers, and others who provide feedback that rewards and encourages language development
Social cognitive learning
The acquisition of language skills rough social interactions
Dyslexia
Reading, spelling, and writing difficulties
Deductive reasoning
Making general assumption and then drawing specific conclusions based on these assumptions
Inductive reasoning
Making particular observations that you then use to draw a broader conclusion
Theory of linguistic relativity
The differences among languages results in similar differences in how people think and perceive the world
