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Chapter 3
Thinking, Intelligence, and Language
© 2011 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
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Cognitive Revolution in Psychology
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Thinking
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Intelligence
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Language
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Thinking, Problem-Solving, and
Health and Wellness
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The Cognitive Revolution
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cognition – how information is processed
and manipulated when remembering,
thinking, and knowing
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1950s: psychology resumes focus on the
mind and mental processes
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computers: an analogy for the mind/brain
- artificial intelligence (AI)
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The Computer Analogy
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Thinking
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concepts – mental categories used to
group objects, events, and characteristics
Image(mental rep), symbol(words),
concept(label for a class) and
rule(relation)
prototype model – all instances of a
concept are compared to a prototype
(ideal example) of that concept
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Steps in Problem Solving
1. Find and frame problem
2. Develop good problem-solving
strategies (subgoals, algorithms,
heuristics)
3. Evaluate solutions
4. Rethink and redefine problems and
solutions over time
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Problem-Solving Obstacles
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fixation
- using a prior strategy only
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functional fixedness
- fixated on usual functions
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Reasoning
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mental activity of transforming
information to reach conclusions
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inductive reasoning
- driven by data; bottom-up; specific  general
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deductive reasoning
- driven by logic; top-down; general  specific
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Reasoning
and Decision Making
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Decision Making
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evaluating alternatives and making
choices among them
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attempting to maximize outcome
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Reasoning and
Decision Making
System I – automatic
 rapid, heuristic, intuitive
System II – controlled
 slower, effortful, analytical
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Decision-Making Biases
Confirmation Bias
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search only for info that supports our ideas
Hindsight Bias
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report falsely that we predicted an outcome
Availability Heuristic
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predict probability based on ease of recall
Base-Rate Fallacy
 ignore info about general principles
Representativeness Heuristic
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make judgments based on stereotypes
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Critical Thinking
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thinking reflectively and productively and
evaluating the evidence
mindfulness – alert and mentally present
open-mindedness – receptive to new ways
of looking at things
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Emotion and Cognition
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moods influence the way we think
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bad moods >> use careful logic to solve
problems
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good moods >> efficiency, originality,
creativity, ignore irrelevant info
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Creative Thinking
Divergent versus Convergent Thinking
Characteristics of Creative Thinkers
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brainstorm
flexibility and playful thinking
inner motivation
willingness to face risk
objective evaluation of work
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Intelligence
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What is intelligence?
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definitions of intelligence reflect culture
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U.S. – Spearman’s g
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measuring intelligence
- validity
- reliability
- standardization
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Intelligence Tests: Criteria
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Intelligence Tests
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Binet – Mental Age (MA)
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Stern – Intelligence Quotient (IQ)
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normal distribution
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Stanford-Binet Test
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Intelligence:
Normal Distribution
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Influences on Testing
Cultural Bias in Testing
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culture-fair tests (e.g., Raven Progressive Matrices)
Genetic Influences on Intelligence
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heritability
increases with age
Environmental Influences on Intelligence
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Flynn effect
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The Flynn Effect
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Variations in Intelligence
Giftedness: usually IQ ≥ 130
 Terman – socially well adjusted and
successful as adults
 importance of innate ability
Intellectual disability: usually IQ < 70
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organic versus cultural-familial disabilities
mild, moderate and severe/profound
adaptive behavior deficits (conceptual,
social, practical)
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Theories of
Multiple Intelligences
Sternberg’s Triarchic Theory
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analytical intelligence
creative intelligence
practical intelligence
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Theories of
Multiple Intelligences
Gardner’s Frames of Mind
verbal
spatial
interpersonal
naturalist
musical
mathematical
bodily-kinesthetic
intrapersonal
existentialist
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http://bit.ly/o5PJBr
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Language
Language
form of spoken, written, or signed
communication based on symbols
Infinite Generativity
ability to produce an endless number of
meaningful sentences
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Structure of Language
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Phonology - basic phonemes (sounds)
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Morphology - rules for word formation
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Syntax - rules for combining words to form
phrases and sentences
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Semantics - meaning of words and sentences
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Pragmatics - use of language
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Language and Cognition
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Can you think without using language?
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Whorf’s linguistic relativity hypothesize
“language determines thought”
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role of cognition in language
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role of language in cognition
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Gender and Language
Gender Differences in Language
Are women more talkative?
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Influences on Language
Biological Influences
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language universals
hemispheric specialization
Environmental Influences
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behavioral view (learned skill)
language exposure (case of Genie)
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Development of Language
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Learning a Second Language
as an Adult
Sensitive Periods in Language Learning
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new sounds/accent and new grammar
new vocabulary
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Thinking, Problem-Solving,
and Health and Wellness
Cognitive Appraisal and Coping
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primary appraisal
secondary appraisal
cognitive reappraisal
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Chapter Summary
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Describe cognitive psychology and discuss the role of the
computer in the development of the field.
Explain the processes and human limitations in problem
solving, reasoning, and decision making.
Describe intelligence and its measurement.
Discuss influences on intelligence and types of
intelligence.
Identify the connections between language and thought and
summarize how language is acquired and develops.
Discuss the importance of cognitive appraisal with respect
to stress and describe various styles of coping.
© 2011 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Chapter Summary
Cognitive Revolution
Thinking
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prototype model of concepts
problem-solving steps and barriers
reasoning and decision making
- inductive, deductive, and intuitive
- biases
critical and creative thinking
© 2011 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Chapter Summary
Intelligence
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IQ tests: measurement, Binet, normal curve
influences on intelligence test scores
extremes and types of intelligence
Language
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structure, development, and influences
Thinking, Problem-Solving, and Health and
Wellness
 cognitive appraisal and coping strategies
© 2011 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.