Psychology II
Terms
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- mental images
- mental representations of objects or events that are not physically present; they are memories of visual images, actively constructed and potentially subject to error
- Concepts
- mental category formed to group objects, events or situations that share similar features or characteristics
- Formal Concepts
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made by learning the specific rules or features that define the particular concept
features are called attributes - Natural concept
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result of everyday experience; b/c no rules, boundaries are fuzzy
examples: vehicles & fruits - definition of Problem solving
- thinking and behavior directed towards attaining a goal that is not readily available
- Trial & Error
- trying a variety of solutions & eliminating those that don't work
- Algorithms
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a procedure or method that when followed stey by step always produces the correct solution
ex. formulas - Hueristic
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general rule of thumb strategy that reduces the number of possible solutions and that may or may not work
ex. using the index of a book; breaking into subjects; and working backwards - Insight
- sudden flash
- Functional Fixedness
- viewing only in the usual or customary way
- Mental Testing
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tendency to persist in solving problems with solutions that have worked in the past
example: instead of staring at a problem that you can't figure out, just leave it and do something else, then come back to it. - definition of Language
- system for combining arbitrary symbols to produce an infinate number of meaningful statements
- Use of symbols
- may be sounds, written words, or formalized gestures
- There must be an arbitrary connection b/t what in language?
- the symbol and its meaning
- Shared meaning
- by others who speak the language
- Syntax
- structure of language; give symbols meaning
- Generative
- creatively generate an infinite number of new and different phrases and sentences
- Displacement
- communicating meaningfully about things not present, about past, about future, and imaginary things