Chapter 10

• cognition


  internal mental processes including information processing, thinking, reasoning, and problem solving
• concept


  an organizing principle derived from experience
• mental representations


  symbols the mind uses to signify information
• prototype


  a representation of a category formed by averaging all members of the category
• exemplar


  a specific member of a category used to represent the category
• frontotemporal dementia


  a collection of symptoms associated with neural loss in the frontal and temporal lobes that includes deficits in cognition, language, and memory
• problem


  a situation in which a current state is separated from an ideal state by obstacles
• problem solving


  the use of information to meet a specific goal
• well-defined problems


  have a solution that can be verified as correct or incorrect
• ill-defined problems


  have solutions that are evaluated subjectively
• systems engineering


  a Gestalt type of process for problem solving that considers the whole problem to be distinct from the parts
• functional fixedness


  a possible barrier to successful problem solving in which a concept is considered only in its most typical form
• rumination


  repetitive focus on one's problems; known correlate of depressed mood
• brooding


  judgmental process in which we compare our current situation with the ideal situation; predicts negative mood and interferes with problem solving
• reflection


  we look inward while actively engaging in problem-solving; weakly associated with depressed mood and can promote problem solving
• algorithm


  a precise, step-by-step set of rules that will reliably generate a solution to a problem
• heuristic


  a shortcut to problem solving; also known as a rule of thumb
• recognition heuristic


  a rule of thumb in which a higher value is placed on the more easily recognized alternative
• availability heuristic


  a rule of thumb in which the frequency of an event's occurrence is predicted by the ease with which the event is brought to mind
• representativeness heuristic


  a rule of thumb in which stimuli similar to a prototype are believed to be more likely than stimuli that are dissimilar to a prototype
• affect heuristic


  a rule of thumb in which we choose between alternatives based on emotional or "gut" reactions to stimuli
• utility theory


  we compute the expected outcomes of our choices and select the best one
• expected outcomes


  computed by multiplying measures of the usefulness of the outcomes by their expected probability
• intelligence


  the ability to understand complex ideas, adapt effectively to the environment, learn from experience, engage in reasoning, and overcome obstacles
• intelligence quotient (IQ)


  a measure of individual intelligence relative to a statistically normal curve
• general intelligence (g)


  a measure of an individual's overall intelligence as opposed to specific abilities
• fluid intelligence


  the ability to think logically without the need to use learned knowledge
• crystallized intelligence


  the ability to think logically using specific learned knowledge
• intellectual disability


  a condition diagnosed in individuals with IQ scores below 70 and poor adaptive behaviors
• giftedness


  an extreme of intelligence defined as having an IQ score of 130 or above