Cognition

Hello again! This week we shall learn about COGNITION! *fireworks

Thinking (cognition) is mental activity that goes on in the brain when the person is organizing and attempting to understand information and communicating information to others. It is a way to classify the world in your mind.

Concepts

When learning about cognition, you also need to learn about concepts, ideas that represent a class or category of objects, events, or activities.

Superordinate Concept 

The superordinate concept is the most general form of a type of concept. You can put a lot of things under a superordinate concept. An example of a superordinate concept are "animal" or "fruit".

Basic Level Type Concept

Basic concepts are more specific than superordinate concepts. Examples are "dog" or "cat".

A superordinate concept is "animal". A basic level type concept is "cats" and "dogs".

Subordinate Concept

A subordinate concept is the most specific type of concept.

Where a superordinate concept might be "animal" and a basic level type concept might be "dog", a subordinate concept could be "Siberian Husky".

Formal Concepts

Formal concepts are concepts that are defined by specific rules or features. A square is a formal concept. If a shape didn't have four equal sides, then it wouldn't be a square right? 

Besides that, I think every individual in the world is a formal concept because if any feature of yourself were different, then YOU wouldn't be YOU!

Natural Concept

Concepts people form as a result of their experiences in the real world are called natural concepts. These concepts are "fuzzy" and help people define their surroundings in a less structured manner than school taught concepts.

Prototype Concept

A prototype concept s a concept that closely matches the defining characteristics of the concept. Prototypes come to mind more easily when people think of a concept. If you were to think of a fruit, you would probably think of an apple and orange first and then after coming up with a lot of ideas, ou might come up with olives or tomatoes.

CREATIVITY

Hi guys, now I will tell you what creativity is. So, stay tuned!

Before I started my explanation about creativity, I want you guys to solve this problem first.

By using five dots and seven lines, make nine triangles. You can start now!

Did you get the answer? If not, I will tell you later. In the creativity subtopic, there is also convergent and divergent thinking. What is this convergent and divergent all about?

So, let me start by telling you what creativity is first. Creativity is the process of solving problems by combining ideas or behavior in new ways. For your information, not every problem can be answered by using information already at hand and the rule of logic in applying that information. Sometimes, a problem requires coming up with entirely new ways of looking at the problem or unusual, inventive solutions (according to the textbook). So, this clearly shows that sometimes we need to think out of the box to solve the problems. For example, if you are taking calculus in your study, you really need to be creative in solving most of the problems. This is because, the questions are so tricky. This is where creativity is important. Do not ever think that just because it is only numbers, you can solve it without thinking further. That is not true at all! We really need to be creative when solving those problems.

So, what is convergent and divergent that I had talked about earlier? Those are the two types of thinking. Convergent thinking is a type of thinking in which a problem is seen as having only one answer, and all lines of thinking will eventually lead to that single answer, using previous knowledge and logic. Meanwhile, divergent thinking is a type of thinking in which a person starts from one point and comes up with many different ideas or possibilities based on that point. Do you get it? If not, let me give you an example. If the question is “What are the uses of a pencil”, and your answer is to write only, then you are a convergent thinking. But, if your answer are to write, to poke holes, to be a weight for the tail of a kite, or to be a weapon, then you are divergent thinking. We can conclude that a convergent thinking only think that there is only one answer to every problem. In contrary, a divergent thinking knows that there is multiple answers in every problem. So, they do not just stuck to one solution.

Okay, now you guys understand what creativity is all about. So, let’s use your creativity to solve the problem! If you still do not get the answer for the earlier question, you can get the answer by watching Running Man ep 209. The answer is there since I took the question from there. Hihi..

That’s all from me for the creativity. Enjoy your Running Man shows  and try guessing the answer before it is shown!

Problem Solving

Process of cognition that occurs when a goal must be reached by thinking and behaving in certain ways.

Basically, there are 4 ways to solve a problem, namely:

1.       Trial and Error

2.       Algorithm

3.       Heuristic

4.       Insight

Trial and Error

The most common method that people use to solve a problem is by trying many different ways to get the solution. This method is very useful when we really have no idea at all to solve a problem. Therefore, a normal human mind will try many different ways to achieve the goal. See the illustration below, various ways are used to find a single solution for one problem.

Algorithm

By definition, algorithm method is a very specific, step-by-step procedures for solving certain types of problems. For a student who take mathematics subject, his step is very common because to solve a mathematical question, a very clear steps is needed towards the end. As shown in the diagram below, each and every steps required to get the following steps are clearly shown until the solution is achieved.

Heuristic

Heuristic method is quite similar to trial an error method, but they are not the same. This method require a basic knowledge about the problem so that a more specific method can be tried, and also reducing the amount of trial needed.

Insight

The last method of problem solving is by using the insight. Insight is a sudden perception of a solution to a problem.

For example, you are required to solve a very simple question: How to take out a coin in a glass bottle which is closed using a cork, without removing the cork from the bottle or breaking the bottle?

There are no direct or step by step method to take out the coin without removing the cork from the bottle as it is the only opening at the bottle, and furthermore, making any hole on any othr side of the bottle is not allowed.

Solution: Push down the cork into the bottle, and take out the coin! The solution is actually very easy. Since we are not allowed to take out the cork, but we still can remove the cork but into the bottle. So, this is what we call using the insight to solve a problem.

Problem Solving Barriers

As a normal human being, it is common whenever we want to solve a problem, there will be something that limit our mind to solve the problem. There are 3 basic problem solving barriers :

1.       Functional Fixedness.

2.       Mental set

3.       Confirmation Bias

Functional Fixedness.

Functional fixedness is a block to problem solving that comes from thinking about objects in terms of only their typical functions. This is the most common problem that always block the human mind to solve a problem.

Mental Set

By definition, mental set is the tendency for people to persist in using problem-solving patterns that have worked for them in the past. This means that people tend to think that only the method used in the past to solve the same problem will work, without realizing that there are so many other ways to solve the same problem.

                The diagram above shows an example of both functional fixedness and mental set problem. A fan is used to blow air to make us cool. And to remove leaves, people usually use a sweep to sweep away the leaves. But, we can overcome this barriers because a fan blows air and this can be used to blow away the leaves!

Confirmation Bias

Confirmation bias is the tendency to search for evidence that fits one’s beliefs while ignoring any evidence that does not fit those beliefs. 

Intelligence 
 the ability to learn from one’s experiences, acquire knowledge, and use resources effectively in  adapting to new situations or solving problems.

If we want to measure length, we use a ruler. But in psychology, if we want to measure intelligence, we use IQ tests. But, what is the meaning of IQ tests?

IQ is the short form for Intelligence quotient is a number representing a measure of intelligence, resulting from the division of one’s mental age by one’s chronological age and then multiplying that quotient by 100.

IQ Tests

Intelligence quotient (IQ)-   a number representing a measure of intelligence,
                                              resulting from the division of one’s mental age by one’s                                                 chronological age and  then multiplying that quotient by
                                             100.

Examples of IQ test:   -              Stanford-Binet Intelligence Test (Lewis Terman)

-                  Wechsler Intelligence Tests (David Wechsler)

Lewis Terman

David Wechsler

SAMPLE ITEMS FROM THE 1986 STANFORD-BINET INTELLIGENCE TEST

PARAPHRASED SAMPLE ITEMS FROM THE WECHSLER ADULT INTELLIGENCE SCALE (WAIS)

Development of IQ Tests

Standardization -    the process of giving the test to a large group of people that
                              represents the kind of people for whom the test is designed.

Validity      -           the degree to which a test actually measures what it’s supposed to measure.

Reliability   -         he tendency of a test to produce the same scores again and again
                           each time it is given to the same people.

         

Theories of Intelligence

       
   Spearman’s Theory

 

ž             

              

General factor	Specific factor
the ability to reason and solve problems, or general intelligence.	the ability to excel in certain areas, or specific intelligence.

 
Another famous theory about intelligence is the Gardner’s Theory

Howard Earl Gardner (born July 11, 1943) is an American developmental psychologist and the John H. and Elisabeth A. Hobbs Professor of Cognition and Education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education at Harvard University.  He is best known for his theory of multiple intelligences, as outlined in his book Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences

 

Emotional intelligence    

the awareness of and ability to manage one’s own emotions as well as the ability to be self-motivated, able to feel what others feel, and socially skilled. Viewed as a powerful influence on success in life.