Cognitive psychologyLesson 1 of 5 in the course Thinking and Intelligence

Cognition, Concepts, Prototypes, and Schemata

5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 5 match pairs · 3 fill-in sentences · English

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Summary

Cognition is the thinking activity that helps us make sense of the world and guide our actions. This lesson introduces cognition and the field that studies it.

Cognition means thinking and includes processes involved in perception, knowledge, problem solving, judgment, language, and memory. Cognition is not a single event: it is a collection of processes that help us take in information, work with it, and use it.

All flashcards

Cognition
Thinking, including processes such as perception, knowledge, problem solving, judgment, language, and memory.
Concept
A mental category that organizes related information, ideas, images, or memories.
Prototype
The best or most representative example of a concept.
Cognitive psychology
The field of psychology that examines how and why people think.
Schema
A mental structure of related concepts that helps organize and interpret information.

Quiz questions

  1. What is a concept in cognitive psychology?Answer: A mental category that groups related information, ideas, images, or memories.
  2. What distinguishes a prototype from a concept?Answer: A prototype is the most representative example of a concept.
  3. What defines an artificial concept?Answer: Specific characteristics that determine whether something belongs to the category.
  4. How can schemata affect information processing?Answer: They can make familiar situations easier to interpret but may lead to inaccurate assumptions.
  5. How can combining concepts support more complex understanding?Answer: One concept can provide a foundation for understanding a more complex concept.

Based on Psychology 2e by Rose M. Spielman, William J. Jenkins, Marilyn D. Lovett (OpenStax), licensed CC BY 4.0. Adapted into a summary, flashcards and quizzes.

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