7.1
● cognition is thinking, and it encompasses the processes associated with
perception, knowledge, problem solving, judgment, language, and memory.
● Scientists who study cognition are searching for ways to understand how we
integrate, organize, and utilize our conscious cognitive experiences without being
aware of all of the unconscious work that our brains are doing
Cognition
● Cognitive psychology is the field of psychology dedicated to examining how
people think.
● Cognitive psychologists strive to determine and measure different types of
intelligence, why some people are better at problem solving than others, and how
emotional intelligence affects success in the workplace, among countless other
topics.
Concepts and Prototypes
, ● Concepts are categories or groupings of linguistic information, images, ideas, or
memories, such as life experiences.
-Concepts are, in many ways, big ideas that are generated by observing details, and
categorizing and combining these details into cognitive structures.
-You use concepts to see the relationships among the different elements of your
experiences and to keep the information in your mind organized and accessible.
● Concepts are informed by our semantic memory and are present in every aspect
of our lives; however, one of the easiest places to notice concepts is inside a
classroom, where they are discussed explicitly.
● Concepts can be complex and abstract, like justice, or more concrete, like types
of birds.
Natural and Artificial Concepts
● A prototype is the best example or representation of a concept.
● Natural concepts are created “naturally” through your experiences and can be
developed from either direct or indirect experiences.
, ● An artificial concept, on the other hand, is a concept that is defined by a
specific set of characteristics. Various properties of geometric shapes, like
squares and triangles, serve as useful examples of artificial concepts.
Schemata
● A schema is a mental construct consisting of a cluster or collection of related
concepts
● schemata are a method of organizing information that allows the brain to work
more efficiently. When a schema is activated, the brain makes immediate
assumptions about the person or object being observed.
● A role schema makes assumptions about how individuals in certain roles will
behave
● For example, imagine you meet someone who introduces himself as a firefighter.
When this happens, your brain automatically activates the “firefighter schema”
and begins making assumptions that this person is brave, selfless, and
community-oriented.
-Despite not knowing this person, already you have unknowingly made judgments about
them. -Schemata also help you fill in gaps in the information you receive from the world
around you. While schemata allow for more efficient information processing, there can
be problems with schemata
● An event schema, also known as a cognitive script, is a set of behaviors that
can feel like a routine.
-Because event schemata are automatic, they can be difficult to change.
7.2
Language is a communication system that involves using words and systematic rules to
organize those words to transmit information from one individual to another.
Components of Language
● Language, be it spoken, signed, or written, has specific components: a lexicon
and grammar.
● cognition is thinking, and it encompasses the processes associated with
perception, knowledge, problem solving, judgment, language, and memory.
● Scientists who study cognition are searching for ways to understand how we
integrate, organize, and utilize our conscious cognitive experiences without being
aware of all of the unconscious work that our brains are doing
Cognition
● Cognitive psychology is the field of psychology dedicated to examining how
people think.
● Cognitive psychologists strive to determine and measure different types of
intelligence, why some people are better at problem solving than others, and how
emotional intelligence affects success in the workplace, among countless other
topics.
Concepts and Prototypes
, ● Concepts are categories or groupings of linguistic information, images, ideas, or
memories, such as life experiences.
-Concepts are, in many ways, big ideas that are generated by observing details, and
categorizing and combining these details into cognitive structures.
-You use concepts to see the relationships among the different elements of your
experiences and to keep the information in your mind organized and accessible.
● Concepts are informed by our semantic memory and are present in every aspect
of our lives; however, one of the easiest places to notice concepts is inside a
classroom, where they are discussed explicitly.
● Concepts can be complex and abstract, like justice, or more concrete, like types
of birds.
Natural and Artificial Concepts
● A prototype is the best example or representation of a concept.
● Natural concepts are created “naturally” through your experiences and can be
developed from either direct or indirect experiences.
, ● An artificial concept, on the other hand, is a concept that is defined by a
specific set of characteristics. Various properties of geometric shapes, like
squares and triangles, serve as useful examples of artificial concepts.
Schemata
● A schema is a mental construct consisting of a cluster or collection of related
concepts
● schemata are a method of organizing information that allows the brain to work
more efficiently. When a schema is activated, the brain makes immediate
assumptions about the person or object being observed.
● A role schema makes assumptions about how individuals in certain roles will
behave
● For example, imagine you meet someone who introduces himself as a firefighter.
When this happens, your brain automatically activates the “firefighter schema”
and begins making assumptions that this person is brave, selfless, and
community-oriented.
-Despite not knowing this person, already you have unknowingly made judgments about
them. -Schemata also help you fill in gaps in the information you receive from the world
around you. While schemata allow for more efficient information processing, there can
be problems with schemata
● An event schema, also known as a cognitive script, is a set of behaviors that
can feel like a routine.
-Because event schemata are automatic, they can be difficult to change.
7.2
Language is a communication system that involves using words and systematic rules to
organize those words to transmit information from one individual to another.
Components of Language
● Language, be it spoken, signed, or written, has specific components: a lexicon
and grammar.
