1. Unit 7
Cognition

2. Unit 7 Layout Day 1 – Studying and Building Memory (Module 31)
Day 2 – Systems of Memory (Modules 32 & 33)
Day 3 – Thinking, Concepts, and Creativity (Module 34) + Vocab Quiz
Day 4 – Problem Solving and Decision Making (Module 35)
Day 5 – Thought and Language (Module 36)
Day 6 – Review and Unit 7 CUA

3. Module 35 – Thinking and Language
SWBAT  identify decision making techniques (algorithms, heuristics, availability heuristics, representativeness heuristics), and factors influencing their effectiveness or decisions made, such as overconfidence, confirmation bias, belief perseverance, and hindsight bias

4. Problem Solving Strategies and Obstacles
Algorithms
Step-by-step solutions that narrow down to the best/only possible solution
Time consuming but nearly always correct
Heuristic
“Fast-and-dirty”; involves making judgments and solve problems efficiently
Can be quick, but also more error-prone
Insight
Sudden realization of a problem’s solution, “flash of insight”
NOT strategy based

5. Strategies and Obstacles
Confirmation bias
Tendency to seek out information that CONFIRMS our current beliefs; ignore information that goes against our beliefs
How did our activity demonstrate confirmation bias?
Mental set
The tendency to approach a problem in a particular way, especially one that has been useful in the past
How does the activity demonstrate mental sets?

6. Forming Judgments Intuition Representative heuristic
Automatic unreasoned feelings and thoughts
Thinking “by the seat of your pants”
When we need to think quickly, we use heuristics instead of algorithms
Representative heuristic
Formed using prototypes
“What is the likelihood of something?” in terms of how well they represent, or match our prototypes
How does our example demonstrate the power – and flaws – of using representative heuristics?

7. Forming Judgments Availability heuristic
Estimates likelihood based on availability in memory

8. Forming Judgments Intuition Overconfidence
Intuition is enormously important
Intuition is adaptive – based on the situations and memories you’ve had
Intuition is basically recognition born of experience
Overconfidence
The tendency to be more confident than correct
In 2010, BP – an oil company – downplayed safety concerns on an oil platform in the Gulf
Right up until it exploded, killed dozens of workers, and spilled millions of gallons of oil into the ocean

9. Forming Judgments Belief bias Framing
Clinging to initial concepts after the basis they were formed on has been disprove
Framing
The way we present an issue
Can change how individuals decide or judge something
Ex: In countries where you have to opt-out of being an organ donor, almost 100% of people are organ donors. In countries where you have to opt in, only 25% of people are organ donors.
How did framing influence student’s decisions in the activity?