Psychology: Thinking, Language, and Intelligence
Psychology
Chapter 7 P.277-312
Thinking, Language, and Intelligence
Cognition: mental activities involved in acquiring, retaining and using knowledge
Thinking is involved in all conscious mental activity, whether it is acquiring new knowledge, remembering, planning ahead, or day dreaming. Involves manipulating mental representations of info
Thinking involves the manipulation of two forms; Mental images and concepts
Mental Images
Mental images: mental representation of objects or events that are not physically present
^ how we manipulate visual images and focus on visual images
Sometimes thinking involves manipulation of mental images
Concepts
Concepts: mental category we have formed to group objects, events, or situations that share similar features or characteristics
Provide a mental shorthand economizing the cognitive effort required for thinking and communication
Makes it easier to communicate with others, remembering information
Formal Concepts: when we form a concept by learning the rule of features that define the particular concept
Natural Concept: Concept formed as a result of everyday experience rather than by logically determine whether an object or event fits a specific set of rules
Prototype: The “best” or most typical instance of a particular concept
^tend to determine whether an object is an instance of a natural concept by comparing it to the prototype we have developed rather than by logically evaluating whether the defining feature are present or absent
Exemplars: store emotions and memories of individual instances
Trial and Error
Trial and Error: involves in actually trying a variety of solutions and eliminating those that don’t work
Can be useful problem-solving strategy
Algorithms
Algorithm: Procedure or method that when followed step by step, always produces the correct solution
Examples: Mathematical formulas,
Not always practical
Heuristics
Heuristics: general rule-of-thumb strategy that may or may not work
Chapter 7 P.277-312
Thinking, Language, and Intelligence
Cognition: mental activities involved in acquiring, retaining and using knowledge
Thinking is involved in all conscious mental activity, whether it is acquiring new knowledge, remembering, planning ahead, or day dreaming. Involves manipulating mental representations of info
Thinking involves the manipulation of two forms; Mental images and concepts
Mental Images
Mental images: mental representation of objects or events that are not physically present
^ how we manipulate visual images and focus on visual images
Sometimes thinking involves manipulation of mental images
Concepts
Concepts: mental category we have formed to group objects, events, or situations that share similar features or characteristics
Provide a mental shorthand economizing the cognitive effort required for thinking and communication
Makes it easier to communicate with others, remembering information
Formal Concepts: when we form a concept by learning the rule of features that define the particular concept
Natural Concept: Concept formed as a result of everyday experience rather than by logically determine whether an object or event fits a specific set of rules
Prototype: The “best” or most typical instance of a particular concept
^tend to determine whether an object is an instance of a natural concept by comparing it to the prototype we have developed rather than by logically evaluating whether the defining feature are present or absent
Exemplars: store emotions and memories of individual instances
Trial and Error
Trial and Error: involves in actually trying a variety of solutions and eliminating those that don’t work
Can be useful problem-solving strategy
Algorithms
Algorithm: Procedure or method that when followed step by step, always produces the correct solution
Examples: Mathematical formulas,
Not always practical
Heuristics
Heuristics: general rule-of-thumb strategy that may or may not work