Summary
Summary of chapter 8 basic knowledge (Thinking, Decisions, Intelligence, and Language)
- Course
- Institution
- Book
Summary written out in full, including terms and images.
[Show more]
Connected book
Book Title:
Author(s):
- Edition:
- ISBN:
- Edition:
More summaries for
-
Summary Introduction to Psychological theories
-
Gehele samenvatting Introduction Psychology (P_BINLPSY)- Psychologie periode 1
-
Krause, Corts, Dolderman, Smith, Psychological Science, Canadian Edition, Complete Test Bank.
Seller
Follow
jschram2003
Reviews received
Content preview
Chapter 8Thinking, decisions, intelligence, and language
What is thought?
Cognitive psychology is the study of mental functions such as intelligence, thinking, language,
memory, and decision making. This branch of psychology studies in cognitions, which can be broadly
defined as the mental processes involved in acquiring knowledge and comprehension through
thought and experiences.
Cognition: the mental activity that includes thinking and the understandings that result from thinking.
8.1 thinking involves two types of mental representations
Cognitive psychology was originally based on two ideas about thinking:
1. Knowledge about the world is stores in the brain representations
2. Thinking is the mental manipulation of these representations (thinking: the mental
manipulation of representations of knowledge about the world)
Thinking allows us to take information, consider it, and se it to build models of the world, set goals,
and plan our actions accordingly.
In thinking we use two basic types of mental representations: analogical and symbolic. Together,
these two types of representations form the basis of human thought and intelligence and the ability
to solve the complex problems of everyday life. An analogy compares two things tat are similar in
some way.
Analogical representations: mental representations that have some of the physical characteristic of
what they represent. These representation are usually images. For example, maps are analogical
representations that correspond to geographical layouts.
Symbolic representations: abstract mental representations that do not correspond to the physical
features of objects of ideas. These representations are usually words, numbers, or ideas. They do not
have relationships to physical qualities of objects in the world.
Chapter summary → knowledge about the world is stored in the brain in representations. Mental
maps rely on both analogical and symbolical representations.
,8.2 Concepts are symbolic representations
your brain forms a mental image (analogical representation) of a leman and provides you with the
word lemon (symbolic representation).
- Categories
Grouping things based on shared properties is called categorization. This mental activity reduces the
amount of knowledge we must hold in memory and is therefore an efficient way of thinking.
- Concepts
Concept: a category, of class, of related items consisting of mental representations of those items.
Cognitive psychologist have described a number of ways that people form concepts, but there are
two leading models. The prototype model, developed by Eleanor Rosch (1975) and the exemplar
model.
Prototype model: a way of thinking about concepts: within each category, there is a best example – a
prototype – for that category. You tend to look for a best example. Of prototype, for that category.
You categorize new objects based on how similar they are to the prototype.
Exemplar model: a way of thinking about concepts: all members of a category are examples; together
they for the concept and determine category membership. The exemplar model assumes that,
through experience, people form a fuzzy representation of a concept because there is no single
representation of any concept.
- Conceptual thinking in the brain
Imaging studies have shown that different categories of object, such as animals or tools, are
represented in different regions of the brain based on our perception of those objects.
Chapter summary → Concepts are mental representations that categorize items around
commonalities. According to the prototype model, an individual forms a concepts around a category
and then chooses a prototype that best represents the concept. According to the exemplar model, an
individual’s representation of a concept is a combination of all the examples of the category ever
encountered b the individual.
Question
You are learning how to identify edible mushrooms, to make your judgement, you compare all fungi
in the environment to portabella mushrooms in the grocery store. Are you using a prototype of
exemplar model of concept development?
You are using a prototype model because you are categorizing fungi as edible or not based on a
comparison to your “best example” of portabella.
, 8.3 Schemas organize useful information about environments
As we move through various real-world settings, we act appropriately by drawing on knowledge of
which objects, behaviors, and events apply to each setting. Knowledge of how to behave in each
setting relies on schemas. Schemas help us perceive, organize, understand, and process information.
We can use schemas because common situation have consistent rules and because people have
specific roles within situational contexts.
One common type of schema helps us understand the sequence of events in certain situations. Roger
Schank and Robert Abelson (1977) have referred to these schemas about sequences as scripts.
Script: a schema that directs behavior over time within a situation.
In general, schemas and scripts allow us to organize information an common scenarios to help us
understand and process information more efficiently. However, sometimes schemas have unintended
consequences, such as reinforcing sexist or racist beliefs of other stereotypes.
Stereotypes: cognitive schemas that allow for easy, fast processing of information about people based
on their membership in certain groups.
Gender roles are the prescribed behaviors for females and males within a culture. They represent a
type of schema that operates as the unconscious level.
Mental representation in all forms assist us in using and understanding information about objects and
events.
Chapter summary → A negative consequence of schemas and scripts is that they can reinforce
stereotypes and biases. Schemas and scripts are adaptive because they minimize attentional
requirements and help people recognize and avoid unusual or dangerous situations.
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller jschram2003. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $4.82. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
Can Stuvia be trusted?
4.6 stars on Google & Trustpilot (+1000 reviews)
53340 documents were sold in the last 30 days
Founded in 2010, the go-to place to buy study notes for 14 years now