Week 4 Thinking

Question 1

Define Cognitive

Answer 1

mental processes where humans receive info from the environment, modify it, make it meaningful, store, retrieve etc.

Question 2

How do Psychologists study information processing

Answer 2

– study the brain like it’s a computer
– mental chronometry: studying the timing of mental events
– EEG scans
– Neuroimaging (PET, fMRI)

Question 3

Define Concepts

Answer 3

mental representations of categories (eg: a thought about dogs)

Question 4

Define Categories

Answer 4

groupings based on common properties.

Question 5

Define Prototypes

Answer 5

a member of a natural concept that possesses all or most of it’s characteristic features.

Question 6

Define Propositions

Answer 6

A mental representation of the relationship between concepts

Question 7

Define Schemas

Answer 7

Mental representations (generalisations) of categories of objects, events and people

Question 8

Define Scripts

Answer 8

Mental representation of a familiar sequence of activity

Question 9

Define Mental Models

Answer 9

A representation of particular situations or arrangements of objects that guides our interaction with them.

Question 10

Define Images

Answer 10

A mental representation of visual info

Question 11

Define Cognitive Maps

Answer 11

A mental representation of the environment.

Question 12

Define Reasoning

Answer 12

process of generating and evaluating arguments and beliefs.

Question 13

Define Inductive logic

Answer 13

from specific observations to general propositions.

Question 14

Define Deductive logic

Answer 14

drawing conclusions from premises.

Question 15

Define Algorithms

Answer 15

a systematic procedure that cannot fail to produce a correct solution to a problem if a solution exists.

Question 16

Define Analogies

Answer 16

using a familiar situation to understand a new one.

Question 17

Define Heuristics-anchoring

Answer 17

mental short cut used in reasoning (anchoring- judgements based on prior knowledge)

Question 18

Define Representativeness

Answer 18

a heuristic (shortcut) that involves judging whether something belongs in a given class based on similarity.

Question 19

Define Availabilities

Answer 19

judgements based on info most easily brought to mind.

Question 20

Describe the 3 bias types

Answer 20

Heuristic bias (judgements on pre-existing info
Belief bias
Confirmation bias

Question 21

Define Problem solving

Answer 21

the process of transforming one situation into another to meet a goal.

Question 22

Define Means-end analysis

Answer 22

Where am I in relation to the goal? What can I do to get closer?

Question 23

Define Working backwards

Answer 23

Solution > Problem (eg: what time do I leave for work= work start time > travel time > etc)

Question 24

Define Analogy

Answer 24

Finding similarities to previous problems to solve current problem

Question 25

Define Computer-based

Answer 25

AI- using computers to solve problems like human minds would

Question 26

Define Assisted problem solving

Answer 26

Use computers and humans together to problem solve.

Question 27

Explain Multiple hypothesis

Answer 27

many problems to solve at one given time.

Question 28

Explain Mental set

Answer 28

mental productivity to one solution even when others work better

Question 29

Explain Functional fixedness

Answer 29

tendency to think about familiar objects in familiar ways essentially ignoring other uses.

Question 30

Explain Confirmation bias

Answer 30

Ignoring evidence that disproves your hypothesis.

Question 31

Explain Ignoring negative evidence

Answer 31

A pitfall of problem solving.

Question 32

Define Decision making

Answer 32

process where people weigh pro’s and cons of different alternatives to make a choice.

Question 33

Explain how utility calculations and expected value are used to make decisions

Answer 33

Utility calculations (measure of value) and Expected value (total benefit to be expected) are used to weigh up decision making

Question 34

Explain Perceived probability in decision making

Answer 34

understanding the probability of likely events and overestimating unlikely events.

Question 35

Explain Value in decision making

Answer 35

the more you have the less the ‘gain’ means

Question 36

Explain Gains and loss aversion in decision making

Answer 36

pain of loss in a decision is greater than the potential gain.

Question 37

Explain Gambler’s fallacy in decision making

Answer 37

thinking future events in a random process (like gambling) are affected by past events (I HAVE to win soon)

Question 38

Explain Confidence/accuracy in decision making

Answer 38

Being overconfident in the accuracy of your predictions.