| COGNITION | the processes whereby we acquire and use knowledge |
| PHONEMES | the basic sounds that make up a language (meaningless sounds) e.g. 'th' 't' 'k' |
| MORPHEMES | the smallest meaningful units of speech-simple words or prefix/suffix e.g. 'un' 'pre' 'ing' |
| SENTENCES | a group of words that expresses a complete thought. Contains at least a subject and verb. Sentences have both surface structure and deep structure |
| SURFACE STRUCTURE | the particular words or phrases used to make up a sentence. |
| DEEP STRUCTURE | the underlying meaning of a sentence. |
| GRAMMAR | the language rules that determine how sounds and words can be combined and used to communicate meaning with in a language (for both spoken and signed languages) |
| SEMANTICS | system by which we assign meaning to morphemes |
| SYNTAX | system of rules that governs how we combine words to form grammatical sentences- e.g. in English adjectives come before nouns |
| IMAGE | A mental representation of a sensory experience |
| CONCEPT | a mental category for classifying objects, people, experiences ..example categories: dogs, books, houses |
| PROTOTYPE | according to Rosch, a mental image containing the most typical features of a concept |
| LINGUISTIC RELATIVITY | The idea that the language a person speaks largely determines the nature of that person's thoughts (Whorf) |
| PROBLEM REPRESENTATION | the first step in solving a problem; it involves interpreting or defining the problem |
| TRIAL AND ERROR | works best with limited choices |
| INFORMATION RETRIEVAL | look to methods used in past-works if quick solution needed |
| ALGORITHM | a step by step method that guarantees a correct solution eg. math rules 4 x 4=16 |
| HEURISTICS | a rule of thumb that helps in simplifying and solving problems, although they do not guarantee correct solution (may get you to within reach) include: hill climbing, subgoals, means-end analysis, working backwards |
| HILL CLIMBING | a heuristic problem solving strategy in which each step moves closer to goal (step-by-step evaluation) eg. multiple choice question-first eliminate wrong answers |
| SUB GOALS | intermediate, more manageable parts used in one heuristic strategy to make it easier to reach final goals |
| MEANS-END ANALYSIS | heuristic strategy to reduce discrepancy between current situation and desired goal at a number of intermediate points eg. walk a batter to avoid bit hit |
| WORKING BACKWARDS | begin at goal and work backward. Use if there is more information about end than given eg. have $100 spend amount and subtract what is left, spend more subtract |
| SET | the tendency to perceive and to approach problem in certain ways- CAN BE HELPFUL OR OBSTACLE |
| FUNCTIONAL FIXEDNESS | tendency to perceive only a limited number of uses for an object, thus interfering with problem solving |
| BRAINSTORMING | problem solving strategy where individual/group produce numerous ideas and evaluate them after collected |
| DIVERGENT THINKING | thinking outwards using originality being inventive flexible ALSO KNOWN AS LATERAL THINKING |
| CONVERGENT THINKING | thinking directed to one correct solution |
| COMPENSATORY MODEL | rational decision-making model where choices are systematically evaluated on various criteria |
| NONCOMPENSATORY MODEL | a decision making model where weakness in one or more criteria are not offset by strengths in other criteria |
| REPRESENTATIVENESS HEURISTIC | a heuristic by which a new situation is judged as basis of resemblance too stereotypical model |
| AVAILABILITY HEURISTIC | a heuristic where a judgment or decision is based on information that is most easily retrieved from memory |
| CONFIRMATION BIAS | tendency to look for evidence in support of a belief and to ignore evidence that would disprove a belief |
| INTELLIGENCE | a general term referring to the ability or abilities involved in learning and adaptive behaviour |
| Triarchic Theory Of Intelligence | Sternberg's theory that intelligence consists of 3 parts: the componential, the contextual, and the experiential |
| COMPONENTIAL INTELLIGENCE | according to Sternberg, the ability to acquire new knowledge, to solve problems effectively |
| EXPERIENTIAL INTELLIGENCE | Stenberg term for the ability to adapt creatively in new situations, to use insight |
| CONTEXTUAL INTELLIGENCE | Sternberg term for the ability to select contexts where you can expect you can excel, to shape environment to fir your strengths |
| INTELLIGENCE QUOTIENT (IQ) | a numerical value given to intelligence that is determined from the scores on an intelligence test; based on a score of 100 for average intelligence |
| WECHSLER ADULT INTELLIGENCE SCALE-3RD EDITION REVISED (WAIS-IIIR) | an individual intelligence test developed especially for adults; measures both verbal and performance abilities |
| WECHSLER INTELLIGENCE SCALE FOR CHILDREN-3RD EDITION (WISC-III) | an individual intelligence test developed especially for school- aged children; measures verbal and performance abilities and yields an overall IQ score |
| GROUP TESTS | written intelligence tests administered by one examiner to many people at one time |
| Norms | standards based on the range of test scores of a large group of people who are selected to provide the bases of comparison for those who will take the test later |
| Deviation Score | a test score calculated by comparing an individual's score with the scores of others of the same age whom the test was normed |
| PERFORMANCE TESTS | intelligence tests that minimize the use of language (Sequin Form Board, Porteus Maze) |
| CULTURE-FAIR TESTS | intelligence tests designed to eliminate cultural bias by minimizing skills and values that vary from one culture to another (Goodenough-Harris Drawing Test, Progressive Matrices) |
| RELIABILITY | ability of a test to produce consistent and stable scores |
| SPLIT-HALF RELIABILITY | a method of determining test reliability by dividing the test into two part and checking the agreement of scores on both parts |
| VALIDITY | ability of a test to measure what it has been designed to measure |
| CONTENT VALIDITY | refers to test having an adequate sample of questions measuring skills or knowledge it is supposed to measure (eg. planning, memory, understanding, reasoning, language) |
| CRITERION-RELATED VALIDITY | validity of test as measured by a comparison of test score and independent measures of what test designed to measure (school achievement) |
| CREATIVITY | the ability to produce novel and socially valued ideas or objects |
| Standardization | The establishment of norms for comparing the scores of people who will take the test in the future, administering tests using a prescribed procedure |
| Longitudinal Study | A type of developmental study where the same group of participants is followed and measured at different ages |
| Nature-Nurture controversy | debate over whether intelligence and other traits are primarily the result of heredity or environment |
| Psycholinguistics | the meaning or the study of meaning derived from morphemes, words and sentences |
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copyright 2003Karen E.Hamilton