CHS AP Psychology Unit 7 Part II: Cognition Essential Task 7.1: Define cognition and identify how the following interact to form our cognitive life: schemata/concepts, prototypes, assimilation, accommodation, effortful processing, and unconscious processing.

Cognition Definition Cognition, or thinking, refers to a process that involves: 1.Knowing 2.Understanding 3.Remembering 4.Problem solving 5.Communicating. Purposeful!

Cognitive Psychology Cognition involves a number of mental activities, which are listed below: 1.Concepts 2.Problem solving 3.Decision making 4.Judgment formation 5.Language 6.Memory

Remember Schema? What prior knowledge lets us know what a CHAIR is? Furniture Seat Four Legs Back Arms Sits one person Cushioned Made of wood

Schema or Concept The mental grouping of similar objects, events, ideas, or people. There are a variety of chairs but their common features make up your CHAIR schema

Schemata can get fuzzy Is a whale a mammal? Are penguins and kiwis birds? Are 17 year old people children or adults?

Can I read your mind? Get out a half sheet of paper to find out! 1.State a color. 2.Name or draw a triangle. 3.List the first type of motor vehicle that comes to mind. 4.Write a sentence 5.Give me a hero. 6.Describe a heroic act 7.Game 8.Philosopher 9.Writer 10.Pop Star

I gave schemata and tried to predict prototypes. 1.red or blue 2.a picture of an equilateral triangle 3.a car 4.a short declarative statement, e.g., “The boy is home.” 5.Superman, Batman, or possibly a fireman 6.a single act by a male, e.g. a rescue by a fireman 7.monopoly or some other board game 8.Socrates or Aristotle 9.Nicolas Sparks, or some other white male author 10.Justin Bieber or Taylor Swift or Lady Gaga

Prototypes A prototype is the BEST example or cognitive representation of something within a certain schema or concept. Schema List characteristics that make a place a college or university. Prototype Now list a specific college that BEST represents or embodies those characteristics.

The way we THINK leads us to… Determine how we solve problems

Essential Task 7.2: Problem Solving Steps Identify problem-solving techniques: –algorithms –heuristics Factors that influence their effectiveness –problem representation –mental set –functional fixedness –motivation –confirmation bias

4 Problem Solving Steps 1.Define the Problem 2.Use that definition to decide what category a problem belongs to and then based on that 3.Select a solution strategy that would solve a problem in that category 4.Evaluate progress toward goal

Possible Solution Strategies Trial and error –Works best with limited number of choices Information retrieval –Retrieve from memory information about how such a problem has been solved in the past Algorithms –Step-by-step methods that guarantees a solution –Methodical, logical rules or procedures that guarantee solving a particular problem. –Math problems are an example of the type best solved using an algorithm Heuristics –Rules of thumb that may help simplify a problem, but do not guarantee a solution. –They are quicker than algorithms

Algorithms Algorithms, which are very time consuming, exhaust all possibilities before arriving at a solution. Computers use algorithms. S P L O Y O C H Y G If we were to unscramble these letters to form a word using an algorithmic approach, we would face 907,208 possibilities.

Heuristics In psychology, heuristics are simple, efficient rules, learned from experience people use to –make decisions –come to judgments –solve problems typically when facing complex problems or incomplete information.

Heuristics Heuristics make it easier for us to use simple principles to arrive at solutions to problems. S P L O Y O C H Y G S P L O Y O C H G YP S L O Y O C H G YP S Y C H O L O G Y Heuristic at work: Y’s usually go at the end of a word.

Heuristics A quick way to arrive at a solution, but it also is more error-prone. –It’s sometimes referred to as “jumping to conclusions.” How can “jumping to conclusions” be a problem?

Obstacles to Solving Problems Confirmation Bias –Search for things that fit our own prejudice and ignore facts Motivation –Desire to solve a problem Mental sets –Tendency to perceive and approach problems in certain ways Functional fixedness –Tendency to see only a limited number of uses for an object

Confirmation Bias While we make a decision, we actively look for information that confirms our ideas

Motivation If you don’t attempt to solve a problem you won’t.

Mental Set “We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.” Albert Einstein

Functional Fixedness “I can only use it for this one thing!”