Psychology 103: Chapter 7- Thinking, Language, and Intelligence

Concept

A mental grouping of similar objects, events, or people.

Algorithm

A rule that, if applied appropriately, guarantees a solution to a problem. **Algorithms are rules that ALWAYS provide a solution.** For example: You may know that you can find the lenght of the third side of a right triangle by using the formula a2+b2=c2.

Insight

A sudden awareness of relationships among various elements that had previously appeared to be independent of one another.

Heuristic

A thinking strategy that may lead us to a solution to a problem or decision, but--unlike algorithms- may sometimes lead to errors. **Heuristics are SHORTCUTS that MAY provide a solution.** For example: Playing tic-tac-toe, the placing of an X is a heuristic. This tactic ( heuristic ) does not guarantee that I will win, but experience has taught me that it will increase my chances of success.

What are the 3 kinds of Problems?

Arrangement, Inducing Structure, and Transformation.

Thinking

Brain activity in which we mentally manipulate information, including words, visual images, sounds, or other data. Thinking transforms info into new and different forms, allowing us to answer questions, make decisions, solve problms, or make plans.

Forming Subgoals

Dividing Problems into Their Parts.

Judgment

Evaluating solutions

Production

Generating solutions

means-ends analysis

Involves repeated tests for differences between the desired outcome and what currently exists.

What are the 3 steps of Problem Solving?

Preparation, Production, and Judgment

Mental Images

Representations in the mind of an object or event.

Mental set

The Tendency to approach a problem in a certain way because that method worked previously.

Creativity

The ability to generate original ideas or solve problems in novel ways.

Language

The communication of information through symbols arranged according to systematic rules.

Confirmation bias

The tendency to find and apply information that supports one's initial solution or idea and to ignore information that does not support it.

Functional fixedness

The tendency to think of an object only in terms of its typical use.

Convergent thinking

Thinking in which a problem is viewed as having a single answer and which produces responses that are based primarily on knowledge and logic. **Convergent thinking produces more commonsense kinds of responses**

Divergent thinking

Thinking that generates unusual, yet nonetheless appropriate, responses to problems or questions. **Divergent thinking produces different and diverse kinds of responses.**

Prototypes

Typical, highly representative examples of a concept. They correspond to our mental image or best example of the concept.

Preparation

Understanding and diagnosing problems.