Study Notes PSY270 PDF

What is the Mind? The mind is the set of cognitive faculties that enables consciousness, perception, thinking, judgment, and memory, as well as the state of being aware of and able to think about one's own existence, sensations, thoughts, and surroundings. What is Information (in a cognitive psych...

What is the Mind? The mind is the set of cognitive faculties that enables consciousness, perception, thinking, judgment, and memory, as well as the state of being aware of and able to think about one's own existence, sensations, thoughts, and surroundings. What is Information (in a cognitive psychology context)? Information in cognitive psychology refers to the data processed by the brain, which can be perceived, stored, and retrieved to guide behavior and decision-making. What is Sensory Input? Sensory input is the raw data received by the brain through the sensory organs (e.g., eyes, ears, skin) that inform cognitive processes. What is Attention? Attention is the cognitive process of selectively concentrating on one aspect of the environment while ignoring others, allowing individuals to process relevant information. What is Information Overload? Information overload occurs when the amount of input to a system exceeds its processing capacity, leading to difficulties in decision-making and cognitive processing. What is Memory? Memory is the cognitive function that enables the encoding, storage, and retrieval of information over time, allowing individuals to recall past experiences and knowledge. What is Information Manipulation? Information manipulation refers to the process of changing, organizing, or transforming information to facilitate understanding or problem-solving. What is the Edwin Smith Medical Papyrus? The Edwin Smith Medical Papyrus is an ancient Egyptian medical text that provides insights into early surgical practices and the understanding of anatomy. What is Abu Ali Sina (Avicenna)? Abu Ali Sina, known as Avicenna, was a Persian polymath whose works in philosophy and medicine, particularly The Book of Healing, laid foundational concepts in both fields. What is The Book of the Cure? The Book of the Cure is a philosophical and scientific treatise by Avicenna that encompasses various subjects, including logic, natural sciences, and medicine. What is Hasan Ibn al-Haytham (Alhazen)? Hasan Ibn al-Haytham, also known as Alhazen, was a medieval Arab scholar whose work in optics laid the groundwork for the scientific method and modern optics. What is The Book of Optics? The Book of Optics is a significant work by Alhazen that explores the nature of light and vision, including the laws of reflection and refraction. What is Gustav Fechner? Gustav Fechner was a German philosopher and experimental psychologist known for founding psychophysics and exploring the relationship between physical stimuli and perception. What is Elemente der Psychophysik? Elemente der Psychophysik is a foundational text by Fechner that established principles of measuring sensory perception and its relationship with physical stimuli. What is Psychophysics? Psychophysics is the branch of psychology that studies the relationships between physical stimuli and the sensations and perceptions they produce. What is Franciscus Donders? Franciscus Donders was a Dutch physiologist known for his pioneering work in cognitive psychology, particularly in reaction time research and mental chronometry. What is Detection vs Selection? Detection refers to the ability to perceive stimuli, while selection involves focusing attention on specific stimuli among competing inputs. What is Wilhelm Wundt? Wilhelm Wundt is considered the "father of experimental psychology" for establishing the first psychology laboratory and emphasizing introspection as a method of studying the mind. What is Introspection? Introspection is the examination of one's conscious thoughts and feelings, often used in psychology to gain insight into mental processes. What is Variability, Verification (vis Introspection)? Variability in introspection refers to the differences in individual reports of conscious experience, while verification involves the challenge of confirming subjective experiences objectively. What is Edward Bradford Titchener? Edward Bradford Titchener was an English psychologist who introduced structuralism, emphasizing the analysis of consciousness through introspection. What is Structuralism? Structuralism is a psychological theory that seeks to understand the structure of the mind by analyzing its components through introspection. What is Margaret Floy Washburn? Margaret Floy Washburn was the first woman to earn a Ph.D. in psychology in the United States and made significant contributions to comparative psychology and the study of consciousness. What is Conscious vs Unconscious Cognition? Conscious cognition involves awareness and intentional thought processes, while unconscious cognition encompasses automatic or involuntary mental processes. What is Ivan Pavlov? Ivan Pavlov was a Russian physiologist best known for his research on classical conditioning, demonstrating how associative learning occurs through the pairing of stimuli. What is Classical Conditioning? Classical conditioning is a learning process in which a neutral stimulus becomes associated with a meaningful stimulus, leading to a conditioned response. What is J.B. Watson? J.B. Watson was an American psychologist who established behaviorism, emphasizing observable behavior over internal mental processes in psychological research. What is Behaviorism? Behaviorism is a psychological approach that focuses on studying observable behaviors and the ways they are learned and reinforced. What is Operant Conditioning? Operant conditioning is a learning process in which behavior is shaped and maintained by reinforcement or punishment following the behavior. What is B.F. Skinner? B.F. Skinner was an American psychologist and behaviorist known for developing the principles of operant conditioning and his work with reinforcement schedules. What is the Black Box of Cognition? The black box of cognition refers to the conceptual model in psychology where internal mental processes are not observable and must be inferred from behavior. What is Behaviorism and Childrearing? Behaviorism in childrearing emphasizes the use of reinforcement and punishment to shape children's behavior, often advocating for structured environments. What is the “Cognitive Revolution”? The cognitive revolution refers to the shift in psychology during the mid-20th century that focused on understanding mental processes and cognition, moving away from strict behaviorism. What is Ulrich Neisser? Ulrich Neisser was an American psychologist known for his work in cognitive psychology and for coining the term "cognitive psychology." What is Claude Shannon? Claude Shannon was an American mathematician and electrical engineer known as the father of information theory, which quantifies information transmission and processing. What is Dom Thomas Verner Moore? Dom Thomas Verner Moore was a British psychologist whose work focused on the psychology of perception and cognition. What is Edward Chase Tolman? Edward Chase Tolman was an American psychologist known for his work in cognitive maps and latent learning, demonstrating that learning can occur without immediate reinforcement. What are Rats in Mazes? Rats in mazes are a classic experimental model used by Tolman to study learning and memory, demonstrating how animals form cognitive maps of their environment. What is Colin Cherry? Colin Cherry was a British psychologist known for his research on selective attention, particularly through the dichotic listening paradigm. What is Dichotic Listening? Dichotic listening is a psychological experiment where two different audio streams are presented to each ear, used to study attention and auditory processing. What Happened to the Behaviorists? Behaviorists faced challenges from the cognitive revolution, which emphasized mental processes and led to the integration of cognitive and behavioral approaches in psychology. What is the Computational Analogy? The computational analogy compares the mind to a computer, suggesting that mental processes can be understood in terms of input, processing, and output. What are Inputs, Programs, and Outputs in the Analogy? In the computational analogy, inputs refer to sensory information received, programs represent the mental processes that manipulate this information, and outputs are the behavioral responses. What are Process Models? Process models are representations of the mental processes involved in cognitive tasks, illustrating how information is transformed and used. What are Structural Models? Structural models represent the organization of cognitive processes and systems, often depicted visually to illustrate relationships among different components of cognition. What is Cognitive Psychology vs. Cognitive Neuroscience? Cognitive psychology focuses on mental processes and behaviors, while cognitive neuroscience examines the neural mechanisms underlying these cognitive processes. What is Biological Plausibility? Biological plausibility refers to the extent to which cognitive theories align with known biological processes and structures in the brain. What is Electrophysiology? Electrophysiology is the study of electrical properties of biological cells and tissues, often used to investigate neuronal activity and communication. What is fMRI? Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is a neuroimaging technique that measures brain activity by detecting changes in blood flow associated with neural activity. What is EEG? Electroencephalography (EEG) is a technique used to record electrical activity in the brain, providing insights into the timing and patterns of brain activity. What is Neuronal Selectivity? Neuronal selectivity refers to the ability of specific neurons to respond preferentially to certain stimuli or features