Unit 4:Learning and Cognition

Chapter 8: Thinking and Language

Warm-Up Review 10/29

⦿ Who was the founder of the Structuralist historical school of psychology?

⦿ What hormone does the thyroid gland release?

⦿ Which stage of sleep does sleep walking/talking usually occur?

What is Thinking?

⦿ Symbols› object or act that stands for something

else› words› + - = / ? { [ ] } ~ ` ! @ # $ % ^ & * ( )

⚫ it only looks like I am cursing you out› mental images

What is Thinking?

⦿ Concepts› grouping together things that have similar

characteristics› organized in hierarchies› learned through experience

⦿ Prototypes› particular example of a concept

Problem Solving

⦿ Algorithms› formulas

⚫ a2 + b2 = c2

› systematic search⚫ more complex⚫ every possible outcome has to be tested

⦿ Heuristics› help find a solution to problems - shortcuts› faster than algorithms but not as reliable

Children’s Book Assignment

⦿ Choose One of the Components of Language

› phonemes, morphemes, syntax, vocabulary,grammar, etc.

⦿ Pick an age group⦿ Write 15 pages with at least a sentence

on each page⦿ Each page must be illustrated

Chapter 8 Vocabulary

thinking

symbol

concept

prototype

algorithm

heuristic

difference reduction

means-end analysis

incubation effect

mental set

functional fixedness

convergent thinking

overregularization

divergent thinking

reasoning

deductive reasoning

confirmation bias

representativeness heuristic

availability heuristic

anchoring heuristic

framing effect

language

phoneme

syntax

semantics

language acquisition device

Warm Up 10/30

⦿ How do you usually solve problems in your life?

› You are not limited to math problems.

Problem Solving Methods

⦿ Trial and error› no idea how to reach goal› try as many solutions as possible - hoping

one will work⦿ Difference Reduction

› minimizing the distance between where we are and our goals

› heuristic › making a mess to clean

⚫ http://movies.netflix.com/WiPlayer?movieid=70151960&trkid=7882979&t=30+Rock%3A+Ssn+4%3A+Into+the+Crevasse

Problem Solving Methods

⦿ Means-End Analysis› things we do have results› solving each part of a problem could help

solve the whole problem› changing things around to get the desired

result⦿ Working Backward

› figuring out what to do by looking at what result you want

Problem Solving Methods

⦿ Analogies› looking at problems you have already

solved to come up with a solution to the current problem

› Archimedes - ancient Greek scientist⚫ overflowing bathtub as a way to solve for

volume by the water that is displaced

Problem Solving

⦿ Insight› sudden understanding› no conscious understanding of how a

solution came to us› “Aha!” “Eureka!”

⦿ Incubation Effect› standing back from a problem while

unconscious thoughts continue to work on it

› that’s why taking a break from a difficult problem might help

Warm Up 11/4

1. What is the area of your retina that lacks photoreceptors?

2. What stage of sleep is referred to as “paradoxical sleep”?

3. Which form of learning did Pavlov and his dogs contribute to?

Problem Solving

⦿ Obstacles› mental set

⚫ successfully solving a problem in a similar way

⚫ Limits creativity› functional fixedness

⚫ object only useful as what it was originally created for

Problem Solving

⦿ Creativity› divergent thinking

⚫ free association⚫ not limited by the way things are usually

done\innovation

Reasoning

⦿ deductive reasoning› conclusion = true if the premise = true› linear

⦿ inductive reasoning› reason with individual cases to reach a

general conclusion› confirmation bias - seek info that will

make your conclusion true

Decision Making and Judgement

⦿ The framing effect› word choices influence on decisions

⦿ Overconfidence› unaware of flimsy supporting evidence› pay attention to examples that confirm

beliefs

Warm up 11/5

⦿ Are you taking/have you taken a foreign language course during high school? What was it?

⦿ What are some activities used to teach you the language?

Language⦿ phonemes - sounds - consonants and vowels - put together (phonics)

⦿ morphemes - units of meaning - smaller words - prefixes and suffixes (all made up of phonemes)

⦿ syntax - arrangement of words in a sentence- grammar - Subject verb object.

⦿ semantics - study of meaning › language and the things it describes - how

a word can have a different meaning when used as an adjective or a verb. OR how two different words with different meanings can sound exactly the same. OR how sentence structure or expression can change meaning.

Language

⦿ Stages of language development› crying, cooing, and babbling› words› grammar

Language

⦿ How do we learn?› heredity› environmental influences

⦿ bilingualism