Chapter 7: Thinking and Intelligence

Instructor Introduction

• Instructor: Matthew Poole
• Institution: Northeast State
• Focus: Cognition (thinking) covering perception, knowledge, problem solving, judgment, language, and memory.

Key Concepts

Cognition

• Refers to thinking processes.
• Encompasses perception, knowledge, problem-solving, judgment, language, and memory.

Concepts and Prototypes

• Concepts: Categories of linguistic information, images, ideas, or memories.
  • Used to see relationships among different elements of experience (e.g., justice, types of birds).
• Prototypes: The best example or representation of a concept.

Natural vs. Artificial Concepts

• Natural Concepts: Created through direct or indirect experience (e.g., snow).
• Artificial Concepts: Defined by a specific set of characteristics (e.g., geometric shapes).

Schemata

Schema

• Mental construct consisting of a collection of related concepts.
• Role Schema: Assumptions about how individuals in certain roles behave.
• Event Schema: Cognitive script, routine or automatic behaviors.

Language

Language Structure

• Communication system involving words and systematic rules.
• Lexicon: Words of a given language.
• Grammar: Rules to convey meaning using lexicon.
• Phoneme: Basic sound unit.
• Morphemes: Smallest unit of language that can convey meaning.
• Semantics: Meaning derived from morphemes and words.
• Syntax: Organization of words into sentences.

Noam Chomsky

• Proposes language acquisition mechanisms are biologically determined.
• Suggests a critical period for language proficiency.

Problem-Solving Strategies

Types of Strategies

• Trial and Error: Trying multiple solutions until success.
• Algorithms: Step-by-step problem-solving formulas.
• Heuristics: General problem-solving frameworks.
  • Shortcuts or rules of thumb.
  • Working backwards and breaking tasks into smaller steps.

Common Pitfalls

• Functional Fixedness: Inability to see objects beyond their intended use.
• Biases
  • Anchoring Bias: Focus on one piece of information for decision-making.
  • Confirmation Bias: Focus on information confirming existing beliefs.
  • Hindsight Bias: Thinking something was predictable after it happens.
  • Representative Bias: Stereotyping based on resemblance.
  • Availability Heuristic: Decision-making based on recent, readily available information.

Intelligence

Types of Intelligence

• Crystallized Intelligence: Acquired knowledge and ability to retrieve it.
• Fluid Intelligence: Seeing complex relationships and solving problems.

Robert Sternberg's Theory

• Analytical Intelligence: Academic problem-solving.
• Practical Intelligence: Common sense or street smarts.
• Creative Intelligence: Innovation and imagination.

Howard Gardner's Multiple Intelligences

• Linguistic, logical/mathematical, musical, bodily kinesthetic, spatial, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and naturalistic intelligences.

Emotional Intelligence

• Understanding emotions in oneself and others, showing empathy, and regulating emotions.

Creativity

Attributes of Creative People

• Intense knowledge, novel solutions, willingness to take risks.
• Divergent Thinking: Generating new ideas and solutions.
• Convergent Thinking: Providing correct or well-established answers to problems.

Measuring Intelligence

IQ Tests

• IQ (Intelligence Quotient): Standardized measure of intelligence.
• Flynn Effect: Successive generations show higher IQ scores.
• Bell Curve: Distribution of IQ scores showing most fall between 85 and 115.

Learning Disabilities

• Dysgraphia: Difficulty writing legibly.
• Dyslexia: Difficulty with reading and interpreting words.

Sources of Intelligence

• Nature vs. Nurture: Debate on whether intelligence is more influenced by genetics or environment.

Conclusion

• End of lecture on Chapter 7. Focus on thinking and intelligence.
• Preview of next chapter lecture on Chapter 8.