Thinking and Decision making: mental representations Flashcards
(32 cards)
What are mental representations?
Contents of the mind that stand for some objects, events or states of affairs.
What is the difference between analogical and symbolic representations?
Analogical representation shares characteristics with the object it represents, while symbolic representation does not.
What was the method for spatial layout (Klossyn et al,1978)
- Participants were shown a map of a fictitious island containing various landmarks.
- After memorising this map, the participants were asked to form a mental image of the island.
- Participants were timed while they imagined a black speck zipping from one landmark on the island to another. When the speck “reached” the target, the participant pressed a button, stopping a clock.
What was the conclusion of Kosslyn et al.’s (1978) study on mental images?
Mental images accurately represent the spatial relationships inside a scene.
What did Chambers & Reisberg (1985) find about mental images?
Participants could reinterpret a figure they had memorized when asked to draw it, showing the flexibility of mental imagery.
Define analogical representations
Capture characteristics of what they represent (resemblance)
Define symbolic represenatations
do not represent items they stand for. Symbols are more flexible; we link any idea to them
Define propositions.
A statement relating a subject and a claim about that subject.
What are semantic association networks?
Network structures consisting of nodes (individual symbols) and associative links (connections between nodes).
What is the spread of activation in semantic networks (Meyer & Schvaneveldt,1971)?
Faster decisions are made when words are semantically similar.
e.g. Nurse - doctor
What is deductive reasoning?
Deriving new assertions from assertions already in place.
e.g. Example:
Premise 1: school closes when at least 4 inches of snow falls
Premise 2: it snowed 6 inches last night
Product of reasoning (conclusion): no school today
What is a syllogism?
A conclusion that follows from two premises. - The conclusion is valid if it logically follows the premises. For the conclusion to be valid, it doesn’t matter whether it is plausible or not. What matters is the form, not the content
Example of a syllogism
Premise 1: all artwork is made of wood
Premise 2: All wooden things can be turned into a clock
Conclusion: Therefore, all artwork can be turned into a clock
False premises, but valid syllogism (therefore a true conclusion)
What is confirmation bias?
The tendency to take evidence consistent with our beliefs more seriously than evidence that is inconsistent.
What is the gambler’s fallacy?
The belief that past wins and losses influence future outcomes in a random event.
What are permission schemas?
Well-honed reasoning skills related to if-then situations that help us reason about daily life.
Define induction in reasoning.
Going from specific cases to a more general conclusion.
What are heuristics?
Strategies for making judgments quickly, often at the expense of occasional mistakes.
What is the availability heuristic?
Conclusions based on patterns of observations rather than single observations.
What is the representativeness heuristic?
Judging whether an individual or event belongs to a category based on how typical it seems.
What is dual-process theory?
The idea that we use both fast, automatic thinking (System 1) and slower, more effortful thinking (System 2).
What is utility theory in decision-making?
Each decision has costs and benefits based on personal goals, leading to the choice with the most favorable balance.
What is the framing effect?
Decisions are influenced by how questions are phrased and options described.
What is affective forecasting?
The ability to predict our future feelings, which we are not very good at.
