Ch. 7

Question 1

information-processing approach

Answer 1

analyzes how children manipulate information, monitor it and create strategies for handling it

Question 2

reaction time task

Answer 2

individuals aged to push a button or keyboard key as soon as they see a stimulus like a light

Question 3

encoding

Answer 3

how information gets into memory

Question 4

automaticity

Answer 4

processing info w/ little or no effort

Question 5

strategy construction

Answer 5

creation of new procedures for processing information

Question 6

metacognition

Answer 6

knowing about knowing

Question 7

attention

Answer 7

focusing of mental resources

-helps w/ cognitive processing

Question 8

4 ways attention is allocated

Answer 8

1) selective
2) divided
3) sustained
4) executive

Question 9

selective

Answer 9

focusing on specific aspect of exp. while ignoring irrelevant others

Question 10

divided

Answer 10

focusing on 1+ activity at once

Question 11

sustained

Answer 11

maintaining attention for a prolonged period

Question 12

executive

Answer 12

planning actions, detecting or compensating for errors

-monitoring progress, dealing with novel or difficult circumstances

Question 13

joint attention

Answer 13

people focus on same object or event

-gives infants ability to learn from others

Question 14

joint attention requirements

Answer 14

track another person’s behavior

-another person directs other person’s attention

-reciprocal interaction

Question 15

joint attention and kids with autism

Answer 15

lack of reciprocity

-early intervention programs focus on development of play routines
–try to keep child engaged in shared play for longer

Question 16

infancy attention

Answer 16

orienting/investigative process - 1 yr.
-directing attention to important places in enviro. and recognizing objects and their features

-habituation
–decreased responsiveness to stimulus after repeated presentation of stimulus

-dishabituation
–recovery of habituated response after the stimulus changes to something new

Question 17

attention changes in childhood

Answer 17

ability to focus for longer periods of time increases

-toddlers wander, shifting attention

-kids 5-6 yrs. attend to activity of interest around 10-15 mins at a time

-filter out distractions

-rule of thumb: use child’s age for # of mins

Question 18

attention and adolescence

Answer 18

increase in multitasking, dividing attention between 2+ tasks

-capable of complex tasks

Question 19

memory

Answer 19

retention of information over time

Question 20

long-term memory

Answer 20

permanent, unlimited memory

Question 21

short-term (working) memory

Answer 21

limited capacity (15-30 s.)

-manipulate and assemble info., solve problems, comprehend language

-important in reading comp., math, problem-solving

Question 22

schema theory

Answer 22

mold memories to fit info. that already exsist in mind

Question 23

fuzzy trace theory

Answer 23

when encoding info., people make 2 types of memory representations:

-verbatim memory trace

-fuzzy trace/gist

Question 24

risk-taking implications

Answer 24

choice governed by “risk is high/low” vs. data

Question 25

content knowledge and expertise

Answer 25

what we remember depends on what we already know about it -older kids have more exp. of a subject than younger kids, increasing better memory

Question 26

experts

Answer 26

notice features and meaningful patterns of info., novices don't -have a lot of content knowledge that's organized in deeper ways -flexibly retrieve major aspects of knowledge with little attentional effort -varying levels of flexibility in approach to new situations (i.e., chess players)

Question 27

implicit memory

Answer 27

memory w/o conscious recollection (i.e., riding bike)

Question 28

explicit memory

Answer 28

conscious memory of info and exp. -infants don't show this until around 6 mths.

Question 29

infantile/childhood amnesia

Answer 29

people can't remember earlier than about 2-3 yrs. -cue word technique can test childhood amnesia

Question 30

childhood memories

Answer 30

memory improves with age -organization (ABCs) -elaboration (examples) -imagery (mental images)

Question 31

children as eyewitness

Answer 31

susceptible to suggestion -preschoolers are more susceptible than others -individual differences in susceptibility -interviewing technique matters

Question 32

thinking

Answer 32

manipulating and transforming info. in memory

Question 33

purpose of thinking

Answer 33

reason, reflect, solve problems, make decisions

Question 34

4 types of thinking in childhood 1

Answer 34

1) executive function 2) critical 3) scientific 4) problem-solving

Question 35

executive function

Answer 35

managing one's thoughts to engage in goal-directed behavior and exercise self control -cognitive inhibition and flexibility -goal-setting, delay of gratification

Question 36

Stanford marshmallow exp.

Answer 36

studies on delayed gratification in 60s and 70s by psychologist Walter Mischel -child offered a choice of one small reward provided immediately or 2 small rewards (later larger reward) if they waited 15 min. -kids who waited longer had better life outcomes (i.e., higher SAT scores and edu. attainment)

Question 37

critical thinking

Answer 37

thinking reflexively and productively, evaluating evidence and what people say instead of immediately accepting it as truth -asking what, how, why -examining facts, argue reasonably, recognize grey areas

Question 38

scientific thinking

Answer 38

useful for identifying causal relationships

Question 39

problem-solving

Answer 39

finding appropriate way to reach a goal

Question 40

ways to problem solve

Answer 40

rules, analogies, strategies

Question 41

cognitive changes in adolescence

Answer 41

strengthening of executive functioning, critical thinking, decision making

Question 42

dual-process model

Answer 42

decision making is influenced by 2 cognitive systems-- one analytical and one experiential-- that compete with each other -experiential system that monitors and manages actual experiences benefits adolescents' decision making

Question 43

metacognition

Answer 43

-"knowing about knowing" -thinking about and knowing when to use a particular strategy to solve a problem -planning, evaluating, self-regulation

Question 44

metamemory

Answer 44

individuals' knowledge abut memory

Question 45

theory of mind

Answer 45

awareness of one's own mental processes and the mental processes of others

Question 46

false beliefs

Answer 46

around 3-5 yrs., kids learn the mind can represent objects and events accurately or inaccurately -false belief tasks