Thinking, Language and Intelligence THREE COGINTIVE PROCESSES THAT ARE CHARACTERISTICALLY HUMAN

Thinking Is Usually Referred to As Cognition. concepts solve problems make decisions.

Concepts are the mental groupings by which we put together similar objects, events and people.

Without Concepts We Would Need a Different Name for Every Object and Idea.

Human Beings Organize Concepts Into Hierarchies.

Mental representations of some sense experiences Images Mental representations of some sense experiences

We think by using images

We Tend to Form Concepts by Developing Prototypes.

Prototypes Allow Us to Develop Concepts and Ideas From Which We Make Interpretations.

PROBLEM SOLVING

What is problem solving? What must be done to achieve a goal not readily attainable.

The way we represent a problem determines if we can solve it

There are three steps involved in problem solving 1. interpretation 2. strategy 3. evaluation

There are four ways to solve problems: Trial and error Information retrieval algorithms heuristics

Trial and error Trying out solutions one after the other until one works.

INFORMATION RETRIEVAL Retrieving from long term memory

An algorithm is a step by step procedure which guarantees a solution if it is appropriate for the problem and can be carried out

Heuristics Are Rule of Thumb Strategies That Allow Us to Make Quick Decisions, but do not guarantee a solution .

Other heuristic strategies Means-ends analysis Working backwards

There are three types of problems: Problems of inducing structure Problems of arrangement Problems of transformation

Problems of inducing structure discover the relationship between the parts of a problems IE

Problems of arrangement arranging the parts of a problem to satisfy some criteria.

Problems of transformation carrying out a sequence of transformation in order to reach a specific goal.

Creativity is the ability to generate original ideas or solve problems in a novel ways

Sometimes We Cannot Solve Problems Effectively for Several Reasons Sometimes We Cannot Solve Problems Effectively for Several Reasons. They Are: Confirmation bias Fixation Representativeness Availability Familiarity Overconfidence Framing Belief Perseverance Anchoring heuristic The affect heuristic

Confirmation Bias

Fixation (a mental set) This inability to see a fresh perspective. It is tunnel vision.

Some People Are Functionally Fixated. The tendency to perceive a function of an object as fixed and unchanging.

Representativeness The tendency to define things in terms of the way we see it.

Availability Basing our judgments and decisions on information that we can immediately recall.

Familiarity Familiar items are seen as superior to unfamiliar

There are some other problems with our thinking, one is overconfidence The tendency to feel sure about our beliefs and to explain away our failures.

Overconfidence Makes Us Feel That We Are Correct Most of the Time.

Framing Presentation that effects the way we think and solve problems.

Belief Perseverance The tendency to cling to our beliefs even in the face of contrary evidence.

The anchoring heuristic When a starting point influences ones conclusions one makes a suggestion (an anchor) about an issue Your conclusion will not deviate much IF

The affect heuristic When your feelings affect your decisions

There are several other limitations to problem solving and decision making. They are: The gamblers fallacy The law of small numbers The conjunction fallacy

Dual Processing Theory of Cognition and Emotion This attempts to explain how emotions affect reason

DUEL PROCESSING THEORY STATES THAT WHEN FACED WITH A PROBLEM YOU WILL EITHER RESPOND FAST OR SLOW TYPE 1 OR TYPE 2 THINKING

Type 1 thinking Fast thinking Impulse, gut response, intuition Based on emotion IT ACTIVATES HEURISTIC THINKING

Type 2 thinking Slow thinking Analysis and evaluation Requires more effort

Language How do we speak?

Language is based on units of sounds called phonemes i.e. t, th, k

Morphemes are combined to create words that represent complex ideas I.E. PRE-EXIST

WORDS ARE COMBINED INTO SENTANCES GOVERNED BY RULES CALLED GRAMMAR Grammar has two components: 1. syntax 2. Semantics

SYNTAX Rules that govern how we combine words into meaningful sentences and phrases

SEMANTICS DESCRIBES HOW WE ASSIGN MEANING TO MORPHEMES, WORDS AND SENTENCES

transformations Knowing the relationships between words of sentences (surface structure) and its underlying meaning

According to Chomsky to communicate an idea you must do the following: 1. develop a thought 2. choose words 3. produce sounds

How Does Language Develop? There are three theories: Learning theory approach Nativist approach Interactionist approach .

Process of Language Development Echolalic Language perception – differentiating sounds to distinguish behaviors Meaning – understanding the relationship between a word and an action Integration of language and thought - holophrastic

CONT. Language Specificity – One word at a time Two word sentences Grammatical transformations and three word sentences

Does Language Influence Thinking or Thinking Influence Language? The Whorfian hypothesis says that language precedes thought. Piaget says thought precedes language.

Intelligence What is this? .

Sir Francis Galton Believed wealthy were more intelligent Founded eugenics movement .

Alfred Binet Was commissioned to study why some children were capable of benefiting from classroom instruction and others were not.

Determine a Child’s Mental Age. To do this they developed questions relative to reasoning and problem solving. .

It Was Binet’s Intention to Use These Tests to Improve the Child’s Learning Environment.

Binet had two fears relative to his test. 1. it would limit educational opportunities 2. it would make people incapable of learning.

Goddard was a disciple of Galton’s eugenics movement.

Gave test to newly arrived immigrants at Ellis Island

Stanford University Professor Lewis Terman Decided to Utilize Binet’s Test. the Stanford-Binet

William Stern Derived the Famous Intelligence Quotient or IQ. Ma/ca * 100.

IQ’S prove to be problematic in measuring adult intelligence.

Intelligence tests no longer use IQ. It has been replaced by a deviation IQ.

The Wechsler Intelligence Scale Created by David Wechsler

Wechsler's designed three separate tests for: Preschoolers Adults Children

Aptitude and Achievement tests Aptitude tests measure a person’s capacity to learn Achievement tests measure past learning.

Is intelligence one ability or several distinct abilities?

a general intelligence underlying most mental abilities Louis Thurston

The Two Current Theories : Howard Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences Robert Sternburg’s triarchic theory of intelligence

Gardner’s Theory Of Multiple Intelligences

They Are: Linguistic Musical Mathematical Spatial Bodily-kinesthetic Interpersonal Intrapersonal Naturalistic

Support for Gardner’s theory Brain damage may impair one mental ability It’s rare to find a renaissance man Prodigies master only one skill Savants demonstrate one exceptional skill

Sternburg’s TriarchicTheory of Intelligence He Identified intelligence From Three Different Perspectives

They Are: Analytical (componential) – the ability to solve academic problems and judge ideas Creative (experiential) – insight, creativity, inventiveness Practical (contextual) – practical knowledge, street smarts

Can intelligence be used to predict behavior?

In Certain Situations General Intelligence Can Predict Certain Things

They do measure the ability to take tests

Intelligence tests tests are also culturally biased

Is there a relationship between intelligence scores and success IQ’S SIMPLY CONTRIBUTE TO SUCCESS, THEY DON’T CAUSE IT

Intelligence correlates to academic achievement because: Both require the following: Motivation Attention Perseverance Test taking ability

Is intelligence learned or inherited? Identical twins raised in different families have similar intelligence scores Also, adopted children have intelligence scores more similar to their biological mothers

ENVIRONMENT Many believe that genes are just a starting point I

Intervention programs: can we boost intelligence?

Milwaukee project of 1961 Could intervention in a child’s family life improve economic and social deprivation?

Women were split into two groups

This study prompted J. Vicker Hunts study on intelligence and experience

Head start has shown to improve cognitive skills in children

Three Things to Keep in Mind About Intelligence Tests: Their concern is to enable schools who might best benefit from early intervention. Should not be used as absolute measures. Only reflect one aspect of a person