Chapter 7 Key Terms

Question 1

algorithm

Answer 1

problem-solving strategy characterized by a specific set of instructions

Question 2

analytical intelligence

Answer 2

aligned with academic problem solving and computations

Question 3

anchoring bias

Answer 3

faulty heuristic in which you fixate on a single aspect of a problem to find solution

Question 4

artificial concept

Answer 4

concept that is defined by a very specific set of characteristics

Question 5

availability heuristic

Answer 5

faulty heuristic in which you make a decision based on information readily available to you

Question 6

cognitive script

Answer 6

set of behaviors that are performed the same way each time; also referred to as an event schema

Question 7

concept

Answer 7

category or grouping of linguistic information or experiences

Question 8

confirmation bias

Answer 8

faulty heuristic in which you focus on information that confirms your beliefs

Question 9

convergent thinking

Answer 9

providing correct or established answers to problemsc

Question 10

crystallized intelligence

Answer 10

characterized by acquired knowledge and the ability to retrieve it

Question 11

cultural intelligence

Answer 11

ability with which people can understand and relate to those in another culture

Question 12

divergent thinking

Answer 12

thinking outside the box

Question 13

dyscalculia

Answer 13

learning disability that causes difficulty in learning or comprehending mathematics

Question 14

dysgraphia

Answer 14

learning disability that causes extreme difficulty in writing legibly

Question 15

dyslexia

Answer 15

common learning disability in which letters are not processed properly by the brain

Question 16

event schema

Answer 16

set of behaviors that are performed the same way each time; also referred to as a cognitive script

Question 17

fluid intelligence

Answer 17

ability to see complex relationships and solve problems

Question 18

flynn effect

Answer 18

observation that each generation has a significantly higher IQ than the previous generation

Question 19

functional fixedness

Answer 19

inability to see an object as useful for any other use other than the one for which it was intended

Question 20

grammar

Answer 20

set of rules that are used to convey meaning through lexicons

Question 21

heuristic

Answer 21

mental shortcut that saves time when solving problems

Question 22

hindsight bias

Answer 22

belief that the event just experienced was predictable, even though it really wasn’t

Question 23

language

Answer 23

communication system that involves using words to transmit information from one individual to another

Question 24

lexicon

Answer 24

the words of a given language

Question 25

morpheme

Answer 25

smallest unit of language that conveys some type of meaning

Question 26

multiple intelligences theory

Answer 26

Gardner’s theory that each person possesses at least eight types of intelligence

Question 27

natural concept

Answer 27

mental groupings that are created “naturally” through your experiences

Question 28

norming

Answer 28

administering a test to a large population so data can be collected to reference the normal scores for a population and its groups

Question 29

overgeneralization

Answer 29

extension of a rule that exists in a given language to an exception to the rule

Question 30

phoneme

Answer 30

basic sound unit of a given language

Question 31

range of reaction

Answer 31

each person’s response to the environment is unique based on their genetic make-up

Question 32

representative bias

Answer 32

faulty heuristic in which you stereotype someone or something without a valid basis for your judgment

Question 33

representative sample

Answer 33

subset of the population that accurately represents the general population

Question 34

role schema

Answer 34

set of expectations that define the behaviors of a person occupying a particular role

Question 35

schema

Answer 35

mental construct consisting of cluster of related concepts

Question 36

semantics

Answer 36

process by which we derive meaning from morphemes and words

Question 37

standard deviation

Answer 37

measure of variability that describes the difference between a set of scores and their mean

Question 38

standardization

Answer 38

method of testing in which administration, scoring, and interpretation of results are consistent

Question 39

syntax

Answer 39

manner by which words are organized into sentences

Question 40

triarchic theory of intelligence

Answer 40

Sternberg’s theory of intelligence; three facets of intelligence: practical, creative, and analytical

Question 41

working backwards

Answer 41

heuristic in which you begin to solve a problem by focusing on the end result