- “Cogito ergo sum” (I think, therefore I am)
-Rene Descartes
-“Many people would sooner die than think. In fact they do.”
-Bertrand Russell
Cognition - Mental activities associated with thinking, knowing, remembering, and communicating
Cognitive psychologists study these mental activities
concept formationproblem solvingdecision makingjudgment formation
Concepts - Mental representation of a group or category that shares similar characteristics
How we learn concepts a. Artificial concepts/definitions are formed by logical, specific rules.b. Natural concepts/prototypes have characteristic rather than defining features.c. Hierarchies help us group concepts into subcategories within broader categories.
-Require specific rules-Usually abstract ideas-Usually explicitly learned
What are the rules that determine if something is a “square” or not?
-Uses characteristics instead of rules-Observational-Usually implicitly learned
Prototype – A mental image or best example that incorporates all of the features associated with a category
Hierarchies help us organize concepts into groups and subdivide big concepts into more specific ones
Trial and ErrorA problem-solving strategy in which several solutions are attempted until one is found that worksAlgorithmA problem-solving procedure that is guaranteed to produce a solutionHeuristicA mental shortcut that allows one to make judgments that are quick but often in error
-Step by step process-Assesses every possible solution-Guaranteed to produce a correct answer-Used by computer programs
Examples: -Working backward-Searching for analogies-Breaking a big problem into smaller problems
Simple problem solving strategies
-Faster than algorithms-Often faulty
ENQEUWhat word is this?How do you know?
-When an answer comes to you instantly-Not a conscious problem solving strategy-An “A-ha!” or “Eureka!” moment
The inability to see a problem from a fresh perspective
What is a four-letter sport that starts with a T?
Family Guy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rk81yzaurGw
The tendency to think only of the familiar use for an object without considering alternative uses.
Bruce Lee on Functional Fixedness: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ii-MLjI5Fyc
Linda is 31, single, outspoken, and very bright. She majored in Philosophy and Women’s Studies in college. As a students, she was deeply concerned with discrimination and other social issues, and she participated in protests.
Which statement is more likely?
A – Linda is a bank tellerB – Linda is a bank teller and is active in the feminist movement
Judging the likelihood of things or objects in terms of how well they seem to represent, or match, a particular prototype.
Don’t judge a book by its cover!
All accidents or Strokes?Asthma or Electrocution?
Homicide or Diabetes?Motor Vehicle Accidents or Cancer of the digestive
system?Appendicitis or Lightning?Drowning or Leukemia?
55,000 - All accidents or Strokes? – 102,000 920 - Asthma or Electrocution? – 5009,200 - Homicide or Diabetes? 19,000
27,000 - Motor Vehicle Accidents or Cancer of the digestive system? 46,400
440 - Appendicitis or Lightning? - 523,600 - Drowning or Leukemia? – 7,100
*figures per million deaths
Information is often perceived as correct if it is easily retrieved.
Bears are higher on the food chain, therefore they are more dangerous to people than deer, which is a prey animal.
A new disease is sweeping the world. 10 out of every 1000 children die from this disease. There is a vaccine that effectively stops the disease, but the vaccine is also a risk because it has been shown to cause a reaction that kills 5 out of every 1000 children that use it.
Would you use it? Would you have your younger siblings use it?
What if the question were asked this way:
A new deadly disease is sweeping the world. An imperfect vaccine exists that doubles one’s chance of survival if they take it.
Would you use it? Would you have your younger siblings use it?
-Some of the beekeepers are artists.- None of the chemists are beekeepers.-Therefore, some of the artists are not Chemists.
-Some of the beekeepers are artists.- None of the chemists are beekeepers.-Therefore, some of the artists are not chemists.
-Some birds can swim-No fish are birds-Therefore, some animals that can swim are not fish.
-Some A are B
-None of C are A
-Therefore, some of B are not C