C10: Thinking & Language

• Cognition in psychology is the study of how people think and how thinking affects behavior
• Prototype is what is perceived to a complete image of something with all expected qualities and characteristics present
• Cognitive complexity is a psychological characteristic that indicates how complex or simple a frame and perceptual skill of a person is
• Trial by error is a method of problem solving that involves the attempts of different solutions until the correct one is found
• Algorithm is a systematic, step-by-step procedure for solving problems or making decisions
• Heuristics is a mental shortcut that simplifies decision-making and problem solving
• Confirmation Bias is the search to confirm an idea of their own
• Insight is the sudden discovery of the correct solution following incorrect attempts based on trial and error
• Fixation is the obsessive drive towards an idea or impulse, usually related to an unresolved issue or unfulfilled need from childhood
• Functional Fixedness is a cognitive bias that limits one's ability to use an object the way it is traditionally used
• Overconfidence is a cognitive bias characterized by overestimating one's ability to perform a task successfully
• Framing is the bias where people react differently to a particular decision depending on how it's presented
• Belief bias is a cognitive bias that affects our logical reasoning; existing beliefs influence our ability to evaluate proficiently
• Belief perseverance is a cognitive bias where one maintains a belief despite evidence that the belief is false or inaccurate
• Representativeness heuristic is a cognitive bias where an one categorizes a situation based on one's own prototype
• Availability heuristic is a cognitive bias where a decision is made based on information that is readily available
• Language is the study of interrelation of linguistic factors and psychological aspects of how humans produce, comprehend and acquire language
• Phoneme refers to the smallest unit of sound in a language that can change the meaning of a word
• Language is our spoken, written or signed form of communication of words that we combine to make meaning
• Language expresses our thinking processing
• Morphemes are the smallest units of language that communicates meaning (eg. suffixes and prefixes)
• Grammar is the system of rules that govern the structure and use of language
• Syntax is the rules of how we combine words and phrases
• Semantics is the rules of how we derive meaning from words and phrases
• Babbling stage is the stage where babies make noises as a form of speech development
• One word stage is where the baby is able to use one word at a time when speaking
• Two word stage is where the baby is able to use two words at a time when speaking
• Telegraphic stage is the speech of children using short but multiword expressions (eg. dog eat bone)
• Skinner believes that we learn from our experiences; reinforcement, imitation and association
• Chomsky created Inborn Universal Grammar, which is the innate ability to learn language
• Whorf studied the connection between language and thinking
• Whorf believes language shapes thought and behavior; Linguistic Determinism/Relativity Hypothesis
• Washoe was a chimpanzee raised in an environment where ASL was the primary means of communication; was able to learn ASL and communicate well
• Euphemism is a word/phrase used in a indirect/vague way to avoid giving offense to something unpleasant/sensitive
• Jargon is a specific language used by a particular profession, academic field or group of people
• Gobbledygook is language that is meaningless/unintelligible by excessive use of nonsensical words
• Inflated language is language that is exaggerated or overstated
• Cognitive universalism is the theory that all people have the same basic mental processes and mental abilities