Unit 7 Lecture Notes on Cognitive Processes
Cognitive Psychology
Definition: a study of the way we process, understand and communicate information
Schemas
Definition: A framework that organizes and interprets information
Schemas are continually being utilized and redesigned through the dual processes of assimilation and accommodation
Assimilation sees new experiences organized with similar material e.g. a child learns the word doggie and then calls a cow a doggie when he first sees one.
After some further experiences with these two animals or after being corrected, the child might change his schema through the process of accommodation.
Accommodation sees schemas change in response to new experiences. e.g. the child now develops a new categories labeled dog cow cats horses etc.
Concepts
Definition: Mental groupings of similar objects, events and places.
We can store these visually through images or verbally through words. We usually have a prototype of a particular concept e.g. robins as opposed to penguins.
Solving Problems and Making Decisions and Judgements
Methods
· algorithms : step by step problem solving strategies e.g. looking for something at the supermarket by starting in the first aisle and then step by step walking along all aisles until object found
· heuristics: mental strategies or ‘rules of thumb’ e. g. looking for an object at the supermarket by going to that section i.e. washing up liquid in the detergent aisle
· insights: some heuristics may operate unconsciously producing moments of insight
Obstacles to Solving Problems
· Confirmation bias can cause difficulties because we are prone to look for information that confirms previously held ideas while disregarding information that challenges the idea (this is self-serving because the process confirms we are right and we always like to be right)
· Fixation: using a mental set-- i.e. a way of solving a problem-- repeatedly even when it fails to produce a solution. This hinders our ability to redefine the problem. Recall the 6 matchstick to make 4 triangles demonstration or the join the dots problem.
· Functional fixedness is the same but applied to the uses to which objects can be put. Recall the candle mounting problem.
· Representatives Heuristic: We tend to estimate the likelihood of things in terms of how closely that represent the prototype. This can let us down. Recall the slim truck driving poet.
· Availability Heuristic: We make erroneous judgments based on the presence of some event in our memories. Recall Handout 10-4
· Overconfidence: We tend to be overconfident about the correctness of our thinking. Recall Handout 10-4
· Framing: The way an issue or question is addressed can influence our thinking. The Loftus experiments on eye-witness testimony demonstrated the power of words in questions.
· Belief Bias and perseverance. Our beliefs can distort logic and we have a tendency to cling to our original beliefs even in the face of contradictory information..
Definition: a study of the way we process, understand and communicate information
Schemas
Definition: A framework that organizes and interprets information
Schemas are continually being utilized and redesigned through the dual processes of assimilation and accommodation
Assimilation sees new experiences organized with similar material e.g. a child learns the word doggie and then calls a cow a doggie when he first sees one.
After some further experiences with these two animals or after being corrected, the child might change his schema through the process of accommodation.
Accommodation sees schemas change in response to new experiences. e.g. the child now develops a new categories labeled dog cow cats horses etc.
Concepts
Definition: Mental groupings of similar objects, events and places.
We can store these visually through images or verbally through words. We usually have a prototype of a particular concept e.g. robins as opposed to penguins.
Solving Problems and Making Decisions and Judgements
Methods
· algorithms : step by step problem solving strategies e.g. looking for something at the supermarket by starting in the first aisle and then step by step walking along all aisles until object found
· heuristics: mental strategies or ‘rules of thumb’ e. g. looking for an object at the supermarket by going to that section i.e. washing up liquid in the detergent aisle
· insights: some heuristics may operate unconsciously producing moments of insight
Obstacles to Solving Problems
· Confirmation bias can cause difficulties because we are prone to look for information that confirms previously held ideas while disregarding information that challenges the idea (this is self-serving because the process confirms we are right and we always like to be right)
· Fixation: using a mental set-- i.e. a way of solving a problem-- repeatedly even when it fails to produce a solution. This hinders our ability to redefine the problem. Recall the 6 matchstick to make 4 triangles demonstration or the join the dots problem.
· Functional fixedness is the same but applied to the uses to which objects can be put. Recall the candle mounting problem.
· Representatives Heuristic: We tend to estimate the likelihood of things in terms of how closely that represent the prototype. This can let us down. Recall the slim truck driving poet.
· Availability Heuristic: We make erroneous judgments based on the presence of some event in our memories. Recall Handout 10-4
· Overconfidence: We tend to be overconfident about the correctness of our thinking. Recall Handout 10-4
· Framing: The way an issue or question is addressed can influence our thinking. The Loftus experiments on eye-witness testimony demonstrated the power of words in questions.
· Belief Bias and perseverance. Our beliefs can distort logic and we have a tendency to cling to our original beliefs even in the face of contradictory information..
posted by Peter Anthony @ SAS at
12:13 PM
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