Chapter 7: Cognition: Thinking, Intelligence, and Language
functional fixedness
a block to problem solving that comes from thinking about objects in terms of only their typical functions
intelligence quotient (IQ)
a number representing a measure of intelligence, resulting from the division of one's mental age by one's chronological age and then multiplying that quotient by 100
language
a system for combining symbols (such as words) so that unlimited number of meaningful statements can be made for the purpose of communicating with others
deviation IQ scores
a type of intelligence measure that assumes that IQ is normally distributed around a mean of 100 with a standard deviation of about 15
heuristic
an educated guess based on prior experiences that helps narrow down the possible solutions for a problem; also known as a "rule of thumb"
prototype
an example of a concept that closely matches the defining characteristic of a concept
basic level type
an example of a type of concept around which other similar concepts are organized, such as "dog" "cat" or "pear"
pragmatics
aspects of language involving the practical ways of communicating with others, or the social "niceties" of language
natural concepts
concepts people form as a result of their experiences in the real world
formal concepts
concepts that are defined by specific rules or features
developmentally delayed
condition in which a persons behavioral and cognition skills exist at an earlier developmental stage than the skills of others who are the same chronological age; a more acceptable term for mental retardation
means-end analysis
heuristic in which the difference between the starting situation and the goal is determined and then steps are taken to reduce that difference
concepts
ideas that represent a class or category of objects, events, or activities
thinking (cognition)
mental activity that goes on in the brain when a person is organizing and attempting to understand information and communicating information to others
mental images
mental representations that stand for objects or events and have a picture-like quality
trial and error (mechanical solution)
problem-solving method in which one possible solution after another is tried until a successful one is found
problem solving
process of cognition that occurs when a goal must be reached by thinking and behaving in certain ways
gifted
the 2 percent of the population falling on the end of the normal curve and typically possessing and IQ of 130 or above
cognitive reserve
the ability of the brain to build and maintain new neurons and the connections between them
analytical intelligence
the ability to break problems down into component parts, or analysis, for problem solving
creative intelligence
the ability to deal with new and different concepts and to come up with new ways of solving problems
s factor
the ability to excel in certain areas, or specific intelligence
intelligence
the ability to learn from one's experiences, acquire knowledge, and use resources effectively in adapting to new situations or solving problems
g factor
the ability to reason and solve problems or general intelligence
practical intelligence
the ability to use information to get along in life and become successful
emotional intelligence
the awareness of and ability to manage one's own emotions as well as the ability to be self-motivated, able to feel what others feel, and socially skilled
phonemes
the basic units of sound in language
artificial intelligence (AI)
the creation of a machine that can think like a human
validity
the degree to which a test actually measures what it's supposed to measure
superoridinate concept
the most general form of a type of concept, such as "animal" or "fruit"
subordinate concept
the most specific category of a concept, such as one's pet dog or a pear in one's hand
creativity
the process of solving problems by combining ideas or behavior in new ways
semantics
the rules for determining the meaning of words and sentences
morphemes
the smallest units of meaning within a language
syntax
the system of rules for combing words and phrases to form grammatically correct sentences
grammar
the system of rules governing the structure and use of a language
mental set
the tendency for people to persist in using problem-solving patterns that have worked for them in the past
reliability
the tendency of a test to produce the same scores again and again each time it is given to the same people
confirmation bias
the tendency to search for evidence that fits one's beliefs while ignoring any evidence that does not fit those beliefs
linguistic relativity hypothesis
the theory that thought processes and concepts are controlled by language
cognitive universalism
theory that concepts are universal and influence the development of language
divergent thinking
type of thinking in which a person starts from one point and comes up with many different ideas or possibilities based on that point
convergent thinking
type of thinking in which a problem is seen as having only one answer, all lines of thinking will eventually lead to that single answer, using previous knowledge and logic
algorithms
very specific, step-by-step procedures for solving certain types of problems
triarchic theory of intelligence
Sternbergs theory that there are three kinds of intelligence: analytical, creative, and practical