1. Chapter 10 Cognition, Language, Creativity

2. Concepts Allow us to think abstractly Concept formation: classify information into meaningful categories (belonging and not belonging) Prototype: an ideal model of a concept (bird vs. ostrich) Denotative meaning: exact definition Connotative meaning: emotional or personal meaning Social stereotypes: oversimplified concepts of groups of people

3. Language Words or symbols and rules for combining them Most thinking relies on language

4. Problem-Solving Mechanical solutions are found by trial and error or by rote Insight: sudden mental reorganization of problem that make the solution obvious framing affects decision,; narrow framing increases the risk of a poor choice

5. Barriers to Problem-Solving Emotional: fear of making a mistake, criticism, looking foolish Cultural: (play is for children) Learned: conventions about uses Perceptual: habits

6. Artificial Intelligence Computer program capable of doing things that require intelligence when done by people Valuable for speed, persistence, memory Human intelligence is more flexible

7. Creative Thinking Fluency: # of suggestions or solutions Flexibility: # of times shift from 1 class of possible uses to another Originality: how novel or unusual suggestions are Divergent thinking: most used measure of creativity; thinking that produces many ideas or alternatives Convergent thinking: conventional thinking; directed toward discovery of single established correct answers

8. Stages of Creative Thought Orientation: define problem and important dimensions Preparation: get as much information as possible Incubation: subconscious works on problem Illumination: rapid insight Verification: test and critically evaluate solution

9. Creative Personality Smart people have slight tendency to be more creative Above average range of knowledge and interests Openness to experience; challenge assumptions Enjoy symbolic thoughts, ideas, possibilities Value independence and complexity Tends to be specific to a certain skill Can be increased by practice in divergent thinking