Language and Thought (Chapter 9) Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
1
Q

Language

A

System for communicating with others using signals that are combined according to rules of grammar and that convey meaning

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Grammar

A

Set of rules that specify how the units of language can be combined to produce meaningful messages

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Human language (is unique because)

A

We have words representing intangible things

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Phonemes

A

Smallest distinctive sound units in language (40-44 in English language)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Morphemes

A

Smallest language unit that carry meaning

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Behaviorist explanations for language

A

It is easily learned through operant conditioning and imitation

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Nativist explanations for language

A

Language is innate, humans have universal grammar: collection of processes that facilitate language learning

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Interactionist explanations for language

A

Social interactions play a crucial role in language, along with innate language abilities

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Broca’s area

A

Controls language expression—an area of the left frontal lobe

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Wernicke’s area

A

Controls language reception —involved in language comprehension; left temporal lobe

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Linguistic relativity

A

Structure of a language affects its speakers’ worldview or cognition, and thus people’s perceptions are relative to their spoken language

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Cognition

A

The mental activities associated with thinking, knowing, judging, problem solving, and remembering.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Concepts

A

Mental category that groups objects, activities, abstractions, or qualities having a common properties

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Mental image

A

A representation in the mind that mirrors or resembles the thing it represents

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Prototype

A

A typical best example or cognitive representation of something within a certain category

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Dunning-Kruger Effect

A

a cognitive bias in which people assess their cognitive ability as greater than it is (invisible lemon man)

17
Q

Intuition

A

An effortless, immediate, automatic feeling or thought, as contrasted with explicit, conscious reasoning

18
Q

System 1

A

Fast - operates automatically and involuntarily; unconscious, can’t be stopped, and runs continuously. 98%

19
Q

System 2

A

Slow - only called upon when necessary to reason, compute, analyze and solve problems. Confirms or corrects. 2%

20
Q

Trial and error

A

Random problem-solving by trying one solution after another

21
Q

Algorithm

A

Methodical, logical rule or procedure that guarantees a solution to a problem

22
Q

Heuristic

A

Simpler strategy that is usually speedier than an algorithm but is also more error prone. (mental rule-of-thumb)

23
Q

Insight

A

Not a strategy-based solution, but rather a sudden flash of inspiration that solves a problem. (insight-related activity is centered in the right temporal lobe)

24
Q

Confirmation bias

A

Tendency to gather evidence that confirms preexisting expectations

25
Q

Belief perseverance

A

Tendency to cling to beliefs in the face of contrary evidence

26
Q

Functional fixedness

A

Bias that limits a person to use an object only in the way it is traditionally used

27
Q

Mental set

A

Tendency to approach a problem with a mind-set that has worked successfully in the past

28
Q

Availability heuristic

A

Mental shortcut that involves judging the possibility of an event on the basis of how easily the event can be recalled from memory

29
Q

Representativeness heuristic

A

Mental shortcut that involves estimating the likelihood of events in terms of how well they seem to represent, or match, particular prototypes; which can lead us to ignore relevant information

30
Q

Framing effect

A

People decide on options based on whether the options are presented with positive or negative connotations; as a loss or as a gain

31
Q

Divergent thinking

A

Creative thinking that diverges in different directions. Expands the number of possible problem solutions (frontal lobe)

32
Q

Convergent thinking

A

Narrows the available problem solutions to determine the single best solution (parietal lobe)

33
Q

Sunk-cost fallacy

A

People make decisions about a current situation based on what they have previously invested in the situation

34
Q

Optimism bias

A

People believe that, compared with other individuals, they are more likely to experience positive events and less likely to experience negative events in the future

35
Q

Prospect theory

A

People choose to take on risk when evaluating potential losses and avoid risks when evaluating potential gains

36
Q

Prospect theory: certainty effect / expected utility

A

People simplify the available information / choose the prospect with the best value

37
Q

Illusory truth effect

A

Repeated exposure to a statement increases the likelihood that people will judge the statement to be true