1. Chapter 10 Thinking & Language

2. Thinking I. Cognition: refers to all the mental activities associated with processing, understanding, remembering, and communicating. (in other words-thinking) I. Cognition: refers to all the mental activities associated with processing, understanding, remembering, and communicating. (in other words-thinking) a. Schema: a mental file folder for storing information. a. Schema: a mental file folder for storing information. b. Concept: Mental groupings of similar objects, events, and people. b. Concept: Mental groupings of similar objects, events, and people. Example: Chair concept Example: Chair concept

4. 1. Prototypes: a mental image or best example that incorporates all the features we associate with a category. 1. Prototypes: a mental image or best example that incorporates all the features we associate with a category. Ex. Thinking of a mid-sized sedan when someone mentions a car. Ex. Thinking of a mid-sized sedan when someone mentions a car. c. Problem Solving: How we figure things out c. Problem Solving: How we figure things out 1. Deductive vs. Inductive reasoning 1. Deductive vs. Inductive reasoning Deductive: reasoning from general to specific Deductive: reasoning from general to specific

5. Deductive If all wasp have wings, this wasp must have wings! If all wasp have wings, this wasp must have wings!

6. Inductive: reasoning from specific to general Inductive: reasoning from specific to general Example: Turtle Example: Turtle

7. Inductive If this turtle has a shell, all turtles must have shells! If this turtle has a shell, all turtles must have shells!

8. 2. Algorithm: a step-by-step procedure that guarantees a solution 2. Algorithm: a step-by-step procedure that guarantees a solution audio clip audio clip audio clip audio clip 3. Heuristics: thinking strategy that often allows us to make judgments and solve problems efficiently. (usually faster than algorithms but more error prone) 3. Heuristics: thinking strategy that often allows us to make judgments and solve problems efficiently. (usually faster than algorithms but more error prone) Unscramble this word: aeldmlu Unscramble this word: aeldmlu

9. Convergent thinking-logically finding the one correct answer. Convergent thinking-logically finding the one correct answer. Divergent thinking-creatively finding multiple solutions Divergent thinking-creatively finding multiple solutions

10. 4. Obstacles 4. Obstacles a. Confirmation bias: search for information that confirms our ideas a. Confirmation bias: search for information that confirms our ideas b. Fixation: Inability to see a problem from a fresh perspective. b. Fixation: Inability to see a problem from a fresh perspective. FIND THE PATTERN: 854176320 FIND THE PATTERN: 854176320 1. Mental set: solving a problem based on what has worked in the past. 1. Mental set: solving a problem based on what has worked in the past. 2. Functional fixedness: tendency to think of only the familiar functions for objects, without imagining alternative uses. 2. Functional fixedness: tendency to think of only the familiar functions for objects, without imagining alternative uses. Example: screwdriver & dime Example: screwdriver & dime

11. d. Making Decisions d. Making Decisions 1. Representativeness Heuristics: judge the likelihood of things in terms of how well they represent particular prototypes. 1. Representativeness Heuristics: judge the likelihood of things in terms of how well they represent particular prototypes. Ex. Believing all hotels are like the Grand Floridian Ex. Believing all hotels are like the Grand Floridian HOW CAN THIS EXPLAIN PREJUDICE?

13. 2. Availability Heuristic: Base judgments on how mentally available information is. 2. Availability Heuristic: Base judgments on how mentally available information is. Example: plane crash Example: plane crash 3. Overconfidence: tendency to overestimate the accuracy of our knowledge 3. Overconfidence: tendency to overestimate the accuracy of our knowledge

14. 4. Framing: how we present an issue or information 4. Framing: how we present an issue or information Example: hamburger-25% fat, 75% lean/1 in 20, 10 in 200 Example: hamburger-25% fat, 75% lean/1 in 20, 10 in 200 5. Belief Bias: tendency for our beliefs to distort our logic 5. Belief Bias: tendency for our beliefs to distort our logic 6. Belief Perseverance: our tendency to cling to our beliefs in the face of contrary evidence. 6. Belief Perseverance: our tendency to cling to our beliefs in the face of contrary evidence. Example: Capitol punishment study Example: Capitol punishment study

15. II. Language Terms a. Phonemes: basic sounds a. Phonemes: basic sounds Example: bat; we utter b, a, and t. Example: bat; we utter b, a, and t. Chat; ch, a, t (3 phonemes) Chat; ch, a, t (3 phonemes) There are 40 phonemes in the English language There are 40 phonemes in the English language There are 869 phonemes in human speech. There are 869 phonemes in human speech. * Consonant phonemes carry more information than do vowel phonemes* * Consonant phonemes carry more information than do vowel phonemes* The treth ef thes stetement shed be evedent frem thes bref demenstretien The treth ef thes stetement shed be evedent frem thes bref demenstretien

16. b. Morphemes: smallest unit of language that carries meaning b. Morphemes: smallest unit of language that carries meaning * suffix, plural, root words * suffix, plural, root words Example: Prepare: Pre pare (2 morphemes) Example: Prepare: Pre pare (2 morphemes)

17. HOW MANY WORDS DO YOU THINK HUMANS KNOW? Most native speakers use more than 3,000 words regularly, irrespective of their level of education, and they have a "passive vocabulary" of 15-20,000 Most native speakers use more than 3,000 words regularly, irrespective of their level of education, and they have a "passive vocabulary" of 15-20,000

18. ON AVERAGE HOW MANY WORDS DO YOU THINK WE SPEAK PER DAY? 16,000 16,000

19. IS IT POSSIBLE TO RECEIVE A BRAIN INJURY THAT GIVES YOU A FOREIGN ACCENT FROM A LANGUAGE YOU HAVE NEVER SPOKEN? Yes Yes FOREIGN ACCENT SYNDROME FOREIGN ACCENT SYNDROME FOREIGN ACCENT SYNDROME FOREIGN ACCENT SYNDROME

20. c. Grammar/ Syntax: system of rules to help us communicate with others c. Grammar/ Syntax: system of rules to help us communicate with others Example: order of adjectives, nouns, etc in a sentence and items like comma, semi- colon, etc. Example: order of adjectives, nouns, etc in a sentence and items like comma, semi- colon, etc. d. Semantics: set of rules we use to derive meaning from morphemes, words, and sentences. d. Semantics: set of rules we use to derive meaning from morphemes, words, and sentences. Example: adding ed to laugh means it happened in the past Example: adding ed to laugh means it happened in the past

21. e. Overregularization/ overgeneralization: applying rules of grammar incorrectly (not knowing exceptions to rules) e. Overregularization/ overgeneralization: applying rules of grammar incorrectly (not knowing exceptions to rules) Example: saying ranned instead of run, holded rather than held Example: saying ranned instead of run, holded rather than held f. Overextension: f. Overextension: Example: Kid saying a dog is a goat because they know dog means 4 legs & furry Example: Kid saying a dog is a goat because they know dog means 4 legs & furry

22. III. Theories a. Whorfian Hypothesis of Linguistic Relativity: Language determines our thoughts. (If we don’t have the language for it we can’t think about it) a. Whorfian Hypothesis of Linguistic Relativity: Language determines our thoughts. (If we don’t have the language for it we can’t think about it) b. Noam Chomsky: Inborn Universal Grammar b. Noam Chomsky: Inborn Universal Grammar 1. Language Acquisition Device: humans have capacity for developing language is natural and quick because we come equipped with a sort of switch box 1. Language Acquisition Device: humans have capacity for developing language is natural and quick because we come equipped with a sort of switch box

23. 2. Critical period: period when learning language is most efficient 2. Critical period: period when learning language is most efficient 3. Telegraphic speech: By 2nd birthday, children can make two-word sentences 3. Telegraphic speech: By 2nd birthday, children can make two-word sentences Example: Want juice Example: Want juice

24. Do Animals Think???