Introduction to Cognition

Cognition Cognition: The mental activities associated with thinking, knowing, remembering, and communicating Includes the way we create concepts, solve problems, make decisions, and form judgments

Concepts Concept: A mental grouping of similar objects, events, ideas, or people. Enables us to chunk large amounts of information – don’t need to treat every new piece of information as unique. These animals all look different, but they fall under our concept of “dogs”.

Prototypes Prototypes: Mental image or best example of a concept Which of these is closest to your prototype of a bird?? Definitions Triangle or Rectangle Not vary common – mostly we use prototypes You COULD define a bird as a “feathered biped,” but it is likely you used Prototypical: Bird? (Robin) Chair (wooden table chair) Dog (larger) Door Prototypes – Ask students to think of a bird. Most will think of regular WI songbirds. For example a Robin is a prototypical bird, a penguin is not. Another example – think of a vehicle. Most will think of a car or truck, not a dune buggy or airplane. Chair? Vehicle? Transportation?

Effects of Prototypes on Memory Once we place an item in a category, our memory later shifts towards the category prototype When shown a face that was 70% CA and 30% AS, people categorize as CA and later recall seeing a more prototypically CA person

What is thought? Concepts (schemas)…usually based on prototypes. Our concept of men may include all of the following guys…. What is thought? Concepts (schemas)…usually based on prototypes. Visuals – we think in images Hierarchies – ranking and grouping concepts (like files in folders) But they are based on our prototype (ideal) male…..

Cognitive Development This field is dominated by a man named Jean Piaget. He was developing IQ tests and noticed that many children got the same answers wrong. Thought to himself, “maybe these kids are not stupid, but instead think differently than adults.”

Piaget’s important concepts Children are active thinkers, always trying to make sense of the world. To make sense of the world, they develop schemas. Schema- a concept or framework that organizes and interprets information; Organized units of knowledge about objects, events, and actions

Piaget’s important concepts Assimilation- interpreting one’s new experiences into one’s existing schemas. Accommodation- adapting one’s current understandings (schemas) to incorporate new information.

Piaget’s Stages of Cognitive Development

Piaget’s Stages of Cognitive Development

Tests of Conservation

Solving Problems Algorithm Heuristic A methodical, logical rule or procedure that guarantees solving a particular problem Heuristic A rule-of-thumb strategy that often allows us to make judgments and solve problems efficiently (speedier but error-prone)

Algorithm or Heuristic? S P L O Y O C H Y G 907,200 possibilities Trial and Error Computers The quadratic formula Competing from home on the Wheel of Fortune Unscrambling those letters would require 907,200 possibilites

Solving Problems Insight A sudden and novel realization of the solution to a problem

Insight! (The A-Ha Experience) Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson are going camping. They pitch their tent under the stars and go to sleep. Sometime in the middle of the night Holmes wakes Watson up. Holmes: “Watson, look up at the stars, and tell me what you deduce.” Watson: “I see millions of stars and even if a few of those have planets, it’s quite likely there are some planets like Earth out there, there might also be life. What does it tell you, Holmes?” Holmes: “Watson, you idiot, somebody has stolen our tent!”

Insight! (The A-Ha Experience) A couple of New Jersey hunters are out in the woods when one of them falls to the ground. He doesn’t seem to be breathing, his eyes are rolled back in his head. The other guy whips out his cell phone and calls the emergency services. He gasps to the operator: “My friend is dead! What can I do?” The operator, in a calm, soothing voice says: “Just take it easy. I can help. First, let’s make sure he’s dead.” There is a silence, then a shot is heard. The guy’s voice comes back on the line: “OK, now what?”

Obstacles to Problem Solving Fixation: The inability to see a problem from a new perspective 2 types: Mental Set and Functional Fixedness Mental Set: a tendency to approach a problem in a particular way, often a way that has been successful in the past Given the sequence O-T-T-F-?-?-?, what are the final three letters? Given the sequence J-F-M-A-?-?-?, what are the final three letters?

Mental Set Example Jared gets girl after girl to date him throughout high school because they all dig his big muscles But when he gets to college, he fails to realize the best way to get his new crush is to read her poetry!

Obstacles to Problem Solving – Functional Fixedness Functional Fixedness: the tendency to think of things only in terms of their usual functions

Functional Fixedness

Functional Fixedness

Functional Fixedness

Functional Fixedness The tendency to think of things only in terms of their usual functions. Apollo 13 CO2 Problem What are some things I can do with this quarter (other than spend it)?