cognitive thinking & language

Question 1

What is cognitive psychology?

Answer 1

The branch of psychology that studies higher mental processes like thinking, language, memory, and problem solving.

Question 2

What is thinking?

Answer 2

The manipulation of mental representations of information.

Question 3

What are mental images?

Answer 3

internal representations of objects or events, including sights, sounds, and smells.

Question 4

What are concepts?

Answer 4

Categories of objects, events, or people that share common features.

Question 5

What is a prototype?

Answer 5

A typical, highly representative example of a concept (e.g., robin as a bird).

Question 6

What is reasoning?

Answer 6

Using information to draw conclusions and make decisions.

Question 7

What is syllogistic reasoning?

Answer 7

Drawing conclusions from a set of assumptions (e.g., All A are B; C is A; Therefore, C is B).

Question 8

What is a heuristic?

Answer 8

A mental shortcut or guiding strategy that may lead to a solution

Question 9

What is the representativeness heuristic?

Answer 9

Judging probability based on how much something matches a prototype.

Question 10

What is the availability heuristic?

Answer 10

Estimating probability based on how easily examples come to mind.

Question 11

What are the three types of problems?

Answer 11

Arrangement (e.g., anagrams)

Inducing Structure (e.g., patterns)

Transformation (initial to goal state)

Question 12

What is means-end analysis?

Answer 12

Comparing current state to goal and reducing the difference.

Question 13

What are subgoals?

Answer 13

Smaller steps toward solving a larger problem.

Question 14

What is insight?

Answer 14

Sudden realization of a problem’s solution

Question 15

What is functional fixedness?

Answer 15

Seeing objects only in terms of their usual function.

Question 16

What is a mental set?

Answer 16

Persisting in using old problem-solving patterns.

Question 17

What is confirmation bias?

Answer 17

Favoring information that confirms one’s existing beliefs.

Question 18

What is creativity?

Answer 18

The ability to generate novel and useful ideas or solutions.

Question 19

What is divergent thinking?

Answer 19

Coming up with multiple, unusual solutions.

Question 20

What is convergent thinking?

Answer 20

Focusing on one correct solution based on logic and knowledge.

Question 21

What is cognitive complexity?

Answer 21

A preference for intricate and elaborate thought.

Question 22

What is language?

Answer 22

Communication through symbols governed by rules (grammar).

Question 23

What is grammar?

Answer 23

The system of rules that governs language structure.

Question 24

What is phonology?

Answer 24

Study of speech sounds.

Question 25

What is a phoneme?

Answer 25

The smallest speech unit that affects meaning (e.g., "cap" vs "cape")..

Question 26

What is semantics?

Answer 26

The meaning of words and sentences.

Question 27

What is babbling?

Answer 27

Early speech-like sounds without meaning (3 months–1 year).

Question 28

What is fast mapping?

Answer 28

Quickly linking a word to its meaning after one exposure.

Question 29

What is overextension?

Answer 29

Using a word too broadly (e.g., calling all round things "ball").

Question 30

What is telegraphic speech?

Answer 30

Using only essential words (e.g., “want doll”).

Question 31

What is overgeneralization?

Answer 31

Misusing grammar rules (e.g., “I hitted the ball”).

Question 32

What is the learning theory approach?

Answer 32

Language is learned through reinforcement and conditioning.

Question 33

What is Chomsky’s innate linguistic theory?

Answer 33

Humans are born with a Language Acquisition Device (LAD) for grammar.

Question 34

What is the linguistic relativity hypothesis?

Answer 34

Language influences how people think and understand the world.

Question 35

Can animals use language?

Answer 35

Some apes and chimps have been taught sign language, but debate exists on true language use.