PSYC100 Lecture Notes - Lecture 10: Noam Chomsky, Loss Aversion, Early Decision
PSYCH100 - FOUNDATIONS OF PSYCHOLOGY
Wk. 10 – Thought and Language
Thought
Information processing
Information processing systems approach to thought
Though involves manipulation of mental representations in several steps
Measuring Information-Processing
Reaction time
How long it takes to make a responses
Press a button after a light appears
Press a specific button depending on where the light appears
Difference between these gives an indication of how long it
took to make the decision
Evoked potential
Change in electrical activity in response to stimuli
Gives an indication of when stimuli is processed
Neuroimaging
Indicate what areas of the brain are active in information
processing
Mental representations
What sort of mental information is manipulated?
Concepts
Mental representation of object, idea or event
Often used to categorize
Formal concept – set of defining features
Natural concept – set of likely features (but not always true)
Prototype – a good example of the natural concept
Quicker to classify objects that share similarities with
prototype.
Proposition – indicates the relationship between concepts
Schema – organisation of knowledge (concepts) relating to a particular
topic
E.g. schema for coffee – encompasses more than the concept of coffee
Mental model – mental representation of specific situation or
information. Create a mental model when someone is describing what a
specific coffee shop looks like. Mental map – mental model stored in memory
of familiar objects or places
Psychologists often try to understand thought by studying
Reasoning
Decision making
Problem solving
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Reasoning
Draw or evaluate a conclusion from principles or evidence
Formal reasoning – use of algorithms and or logic to get to the correct
conclusion or evaluate the conclusion
Algorithms – procedure of steps to get to the correct answer
Logic
Set of rules that leads to the specific conclusion
Logical argument
Conditional syllogism
Premise 1: if it is a bird
Premise 2: then it has feathers
Conclusion: it is a bird, therefor it has feathers. This conclusion is logically
sound.
Conclusion: it has feathers, therefore it is a bird. This conclusion is not logical.
A feather pillow has feathers and is not a bird.
Categorical Syllogism
All people enrolled in PSYC100 are students
Some students are smart
Therefor some PSYC100 students are smart, this conclusion is not sound.
All worms are animals
Some animal can solve mathematical problems
Therefore, some worms can solve mathematical problems.
Formal Reasoning is hampered by;
Our expectation
We are likely to believe a conclusion that is consistent with our beliefs, even if
it not logically sound
Limitations of working memory
How much information can be thought about at once when using an equation
How many ways can you represent the different categories at once.
Informal Reasoning
When logic and algorithms can not be applied to evaluate or reach a
conclusion
Often associated with the use of heuristics
Heuristic – mental short cut. Often gets you close to the right answer but
sometimes can lead to big errors
Anchoring Heuristic
An original reference point influences judgements
E.g. estimate population in Australia in 2015. Start by your last known
population of Australia
But can lead to errors
Availability Heuristics
Judge event frequency based on how easily instances come to mind.
The easier it comes to mind the more likely it is judged
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find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Though involves manipulation of mental representations in several steps. How long it takes to make a responses. Press a specific button depending on where the light appears. Difference between these gives an indication of how long it took to make the decision. Change in electrical activity in response to stimuli. Gives an indication of when stimuli is processed. Indicate what areas of the brain are active in information. Mental representation of object, idea or event. Formal concept set of defining features. Natural concept set of likely features (but not always true) topic prototype. Prototype a good example of the natural concept. Quicker to classify objects that share similarities with. Schema organisation of knowledge (concepts) relating to a particular. E. g. schema for coffee encompasses more than the concept of coffee. Mental model mental representation of specific situation or information. Create a mental model when someone is describing what a specific coffee shop looks like.
