Cognition Thinking Refers to all mental activities associated

Cognition (Thinking) • Refers to all mental activities associated with thinking, knowing, remembering, & communication

Cognitive Psychologists • Studies the logical & illogical ways in which we – – create concepts, solve problems, make decisions, form judgments

Concepts • Mental groupings of similar events, objects, ideas, & people

Prototype • Mental image that incorporates the features we associate with a category – Ex: Bird

Problem Solving 3 Methods to solve a problem

Algorithms • A step by step process that guarantees a solution • Usually by using a formula. • They work but are sometimes impractical.

Heuristics • A simple thinking strategy that often allows us to make judgments & solve problems efficiently – Usually faster than algorithms – But more prone to errors

Thinking Unscramble SPLOYOCHYG § Algorithm § all 907, 208 combinations § Heuristic § throw out all YY combinations § other heuristics?

Insight • Sudden, & often, novel realization of a solution to a problem • Sudden flashes of information • The information just comes to us • Gives us a sense of satisfaction

Representativeness Heuristic Who went to Harvard? • Judging a situation based on how similar the aspects are to the prototypes the person holds in their mind. • This may lead to ignoring other relevant information • Like thinking everyone from Stanton is preppy, • If I tell you that Sonia Dara is a Sports Illustrated swimsuit model, you would make certain quick judgments (heuristics) about her…like about her interests or intelligence. • She is an economics major at Harvard University. • or someone with glasses is nerdy, • or a blonde is not smart.

Availability Heuristic Which place would you be more scared of getting mugged or even murdered? • Judging a situation based on their availability in memory • Vivid examples in the news often cause an availability heuristic. The crime rate of Gary, Indiana is MUCH higher than the Bronx. But when you think of crime, which town comes to mind? Gary, Indiana I realize the Bronx picture is misleading. The Bronx, NY

Hurdles to problem solving

Confirmation Bias • We look for evidence to confirm our beliefs (preconceptions) and ignore evidence that contradicts them. • For example, if one believes that all Italians are in shape and go tanning, then they turn on MTV or watch shore such as The Jersey Shore which fit this belief Look…I knew it was true!!! But is it really?

Fixation • Inability to see a problem from a new /fresh perspective • Impediment to problem solving • Ex. Being fixated on a certain solution because it worked before

Mental Set § tendency to approach a problem in a particular way § especially a way that has been successful in the past but may or may not be helpful in solving a new problem

Functional Fixedness • The inability to see a new use for an object.

Framing • • 90% of the population will be saved with this medication…. . or 10% of the population will die despite this medication. You should drink 8 glasses of water daily…. or You should drink 64 ounces of water daily. • Less filling vs. Great taste • Less fat vs. Rich flavor • The way a problem is presented can drastically effect the way we view it.

Overconfidence… • Tendency to be more confident than correct • Belief Perseverance maintaining a belief even after it has been proven wrong. • Belief Bias- Tendency for one’s pre-existing beliefs to distort logical reasoning • People will tend to accept any and all conclusions that fit in with their systems of belief, without challenge or any deep consideration of what they are actually agreeing with.

Artificial Intelligence • Designing & programming computer systems to do intelligent things – Learning – Intuitive reasoning – Understanding language • Includes practical applications – Industrial robots

Computer neural networks • Computer circuits that mimic the brain’s interconnected neural cells – Teamwork – Emotions – Performing tasks such as learning to recognize visual patterns and smells.