What is cognition?
Mental processes involved in acquiring knowledge and comprehension through thought and experiences
Cognition includes storing knowledge in representations and manipulating these representations.
What are the two types of mental representations?
- Analogical representations
- Symbolic representations
Analogical representations are images, while symbolic representations are more abstract, like words or numbers.
Define concept.
A category, or class, of related items
Examples include musical instruments or fruits.
What is the prototype model?
When you think about a category, you look for a best example, or prototype, for that category
Developed by Eleanor Rosch in 1975.
What does the exemplar model propose?
Any concept has no single best representation; all examples of category members form the concept
For example, comparing a new animal to memories of other animals encountered.
What is a script in the context of schemas?
A schema that directs behavior over time within a situation
An example is the expected sequence of events when going to the movies.
What are heuristics?
Mental shortcuts used to reduce the amount of thinking required to make a decision
Heuristic thinking often occurs unconsciously.
What is anchoring in decision making?
Relying on the first piece of information encountered or information that comes most quickly to mind
Anchoring effects can influence many types of decisions.
Define framing.
Emphasizing potential loss or gain can lead to different decisions
For example, presenting a situation as a 70% chance of passing versus a 30% chance of failing.
What is the availability heuristic?
The tendency to make a decision based on the answer that comes most easily to mind
This heuristic can lead to biased decision making.
What is the representativeness heuristic?
The tendency to categorize a person or object based on similarity to a prototype
For example, guessing a person’s profession based on their characteristics.
How do integral emotions inform choice value?
Choices anticipated to elicit better feelings are considered more valuable
Anticipated emotions provide information about the relative value of choices.
What is affective forecasting?
Predicting how you will feel about things in the future
People are generally poor at accurately predicting their future feelings.
What is the endowment effect?
A cognitive bias where people value an owned item higher than an identical item they do not own
This effect illustrates how emotions can influence decision making.
What are subgoals?
Goals that are involved in or secondary to achieving a larger goal
They help in organizing the process of achieving the main goal.
What is restructuring in problem solving?
Representing the problem in a novel way to reveal a solution not visible under the old problem structure
This strategy helps overcome obstacles.
Define algorithm.
A guideline that, if followed correctly, will always yield the correct answer
An example is the formula for finding the area of a rectangle.
What is sudden insight?
The metaphorical mental lightbulb that goes on when you suddenly realize the solution to a problem
Often referred to as an ‘Aha!’ moment.
What is the Paradox of Choice?
A concept suggesting that having too many choices can lead to anxiety and dissatisfaction
Schwartz offers advice on navigating choices effectively.
What mindset should you adopt according to Schwartz’s advice?
A satisficer mindset
This involves being content with a decision rather than seeking the perfect choice.
