Cognitive Psychology CHapter 7: Mental Images and Propositions

functional equivalence hypothesis

although visual imagery is not identical to visual perception, it is functionally equivalent to it.

heuristics

cognitive strategies we use when we use landmark, route-road, and survey knowledge that influence our estimations of distance

spatial cognition

deals with the acquisition, organization, and use of knowledge about actions and objects in 2D and 3D space

declarative knowledge

facts that can be stated-- date of birth, name of best friend, way rabbit looks

cognitive maps

internal representations of our physical environment, particularly centering on spatial relationships

mental rotation

involves rotationally transforming an object's visual mental image. you can hold a water bottle and rotate it in your hands, but also imagine one and rotate the image in your mind.

procedural knowledge

knowledge of procedures that can be implemented, like the steps to tying your shoes, adding a column of numbers, or driving a car

analog codes

mental images. resemble the objects they are presenting.

imagery

mental representation of things that are not currently seen or sensed by the sense organs

propositional theory

suggests we do not store mental representations in the form of images or mere words.

knowledge representation

the form for what you know in your mind about things, ideas, events, and so on, in the outside world

symbolic representation

the relationship between the word and what it represents is simply arbituary-- "cat"

dual-code theory

we use both pictorial and verbal codes for representing info in our minds