Thinking About Psychology: The Science of Mind and Behavior Charles T. Blair-Broeker Randal M. Ernst

Chapter 10 Thinking, Language, and Intelligence

Thinking and Language Module 23

Thinking Module 23: Thinking and Language

Cognitive Abilities All the mental activities associated with thinking, knowing and remembering

Thinking: Concepts Module 23: Thinking and Language

Concept A mental grouping based on shared similarity Categorizing items in one’s environment

Prototype A typical best example incorporating the major features of a concept The closer a new object is to our concept prototype the easier it is to categorize it

Concept Hierarchy A means to keep mental information organized from basic concepts to specific ones

Concept Hierarchy

Thinking: Problem Solving Module 23: Thinking and Language

Algorithms A problem solving strategy that guarantees the solution to the problem Not always the most efficient method

Heuristics A rule-of-thumb problem solving strategy that makes a solution more likely and efficient but does not guarantee a solution These can be handy shortcuts, or they can get us into trouble

Insight The sudden realization of the solution to a problem

Thinking: Problems Solving Problems Module 23: Thinking and Language

Mental Set A tendency to approach a problem in a particular way The set may or may not be helpful in solving a new problem

Fixation A mental set that hinders the solution of a problem One needs to think beyond the mental set to solve the new problem

Confirmation Bias The tendency to focus on information that supports one’s preconceptions

Availability Heuristic Uses information from our memory to judge the likelihood of events Can be correct or incorrect

Overconfidence The tendency to be more confident than correct when estimating the accuracy of one’s beliefs and judgments

Framing The way an issue is worded or presented Can influence decisions and judgments

Belief Perseverance Clinging to one’s initial beliefs even after new information discredits the basis on which they were formed

Problem Solving and Computers Play “Cockpit Confusion” (11:14) Segment #11 from Scientific American Frontiers: Video Collection for Introductory Psychology (2 nd edition).

Language Module 23: Thinking and Language

Language The spoken, written, or gestured words a group uses to communicate meaningfully

Language and the Brain Play “Language Processing in the Brain” (6:19) Segment #8 from The Mind: Psychology Teaching Modules (2 nd edition).

Language: Building Blocks of Language Module 23: Thinking and Language

Phoneme The smallest distinctive unit of sound of a spoken language English has about 40 phonemes. A young baby produces all the phonemes of all the languages of the world.

Phonemes Play “Infant Speech Sound Discrimination” (4:03) Segment #23 from The Mind: Psychology Teaching Modules (2 nd edition).

Morpheme The smallest unit, in a language, that carries meaning May be a word or part of a word English has about 100,000 morphemes.

Grammar A system of rules governing how one can combine morphemes and words and arrange them in sentences to communicate with others

Structure of Language

Language: Language Acquisition Module 23: Thinking and Language

Noam Chomsky (1928- ) Argues that children have a predisposition to learn language A person’s brain is hard wired to learn vocabulary and the rules of grammar

Noam Chomsky Interview Insert “Chomsky’s View of Language Development” Video #21 from Worth’s Digital Media Archive for Psychology. Instructions for importing the video file can be found in the ‘Readme’ file on the CD-ROM.

B.F. Skinner and Language Skinner believed language was the result of learning through: –Association : linking certain sounds with certain people –Imitation –Rewards or punishments

Language Play “Language and Culture” (4:42) Segment #28 from The Mind: Psychology Teaching Modules (2 nd edition).

Language: Language Stages Module 23: Thinking and Language

Language Predisposition Play “Language Predisposition” (3:44) Segment #24 from The Mind: Psychology Teaching Modules (2 nd edition).

Language Acquisition Stages Three-step process: –Babbling –One-Word Stage –Two-Word Stage

Babbling Babies spontaneously babble phonemes. Will babble all the phonemes of the world Will begin to babble only the phonemes of the child’s native tongue at about 1 year of age

Babbling and Language Development Play “Talkin’ Babies” (12:00) Segment #18 from Scientific American Frontiers: Video Collection for Introductory Psychology ( 2nd edition).

One-Word Stage Child uses one word to convey a complete thought or idea

Two-Word Stage Two word sentences showing an appreciation of the rules of grammar

Grammar Development Insert “Gleason’s Wug Test” Video #22 from Worth’s Digital Media Archive for Psychology. Instructions for importing the video file can be found in the ‘Readme’ file on the CD-ROM.

Overgeneralization Child will generalize grammar rules so they apply the rules too broadly. Example: “I dugged in the sandbox” rather than “I dug in the sandbox”

Overgeneralization

Language Development Play “Born to Talk” (6:45) Segment #21 from Scientific American Frontiers: Video Collection for Introductory Psychology (2 nd edition).

Thinking and Language Together Module 23: Thinking and Language

Linguistic Relativity Hypothesis Hypothesis that one’s language determines the way a person may think Proposed by Benjamin Whorf ( ) Use of inclusive language

Language and the Brain Play “Old Brain, New Tricks” (11:00) Segment #8 from Scientific American Frontiers: Video Collection for Introductory Psychology (2 nd edition).

Animal Language Play “Animal Language” (14:39) Segment #27 from The Mind: Psychology Teaching Modules (2 nd edition).

The End