Cognitive Processes: Attention and Perception

Study Notes

Selective focus on certain stimuli or tasks while ignoring others
Types:
- Sustained attention: prolonged focus on a single task
- Selective attention: focusing on specific stimuli or tasks while ignoring others
- Alternating attention: switching between two or more tasks
- Divided attention: processing multiple sources of information simultaneously

The process of interpreting and organizing sensory information
Bottom-up processing: focus on individual components of a stimulus
Top-down processing: influence of prior knowledge and expectations on perception

The process of encoding, storing, and retrieving information
Types:
- Sensory memory: brief storage of sensory information
- Short-term memory: limited capacity, information lost unless rehearsed
- Long-term memory: permanent storage of information
- Working memory: temporary holding and manipulation of information

The process of acquiring new knowledge or behaviors
Types:
- Classical conditioning: association between stimuli and responses
- Operant conditioning: behavior modification through reinforcement or punishment
- Social learning: learning through observation and imitation

The system of communication using words, symbols, and signs
Components:
- Phonology: sound system of a language
- Syntax: rules governing sentence structure
- Semantics: meaning of words and sentences
- Pragmatics: social context of language use

The process of identifying and resolving problems
Strategies:
- Algorithmic thinking: step-by-step approach
- Heuristics: mental shortcuts and rules of thumb
- Insight: sudden, intuitive understanding of a problem

The process of selecting a course of action from available options
Factors influencing decision-making:
- Cognitive biases: systematic errors in thinking
- Emotions: influence of emotional states on decision-making
- Context: social and environmental factors affecting decision-making

Attention involves selectively focusing on certain stimuli or tasks while ignoring others
There are four types of attention: sustained, selective, alternating, and divided
Sustained attention involves prolonged focus on a single task
Selective attention involves focusing on specific stimuli or tasks while ignoring others
Alternating attention involves switching between two or more tasks
Divided attention involves processing multiple sources of information simultaneously

Perception is the process of interpreting and organizing sensory information
There are two types of processing: bottom-up and top-down
Bottom-up processing focuses on individual components of a stimulus
Top-down processing involves the influence of prior knowledge and expectations on perception

Learning involves the process of acquiring new knowledge or behaviors
There are three types of learning: classical conditioning, operant conditioning, and social learning
Classical conditioning involves association between stimuli and responses
Operant conditioning involves behavior modification through reinforcement or punishment
Social learning involves learning through observation and imitation

Problem-solving involves the process of identifying and resolving problems
There are three strategies for problem-solving: algorithmic thinking, heuristics, and insight
Algorithmic thinking involves a step-by-step approach
Heuristics involve mental shortcuts and rules of thumb
Insight involves sudden, intuitive understanding of a problem

Decision-making involves selecting a course of action from available options
Three factors that influence decision-making are cognitive biases, emotions, and context
Cognitive biases involve systematic errors in thinking
Emotions involve the influence of emotional states on decision-making
Context involves social and environmental factors affecting decision-making