UNIT III LECTURE Chapter’s 7-Thinking, Language and Intelligence Chapter 9-Lifespan Development

1. UNITIII LECTUREChapter’s 7-Thinking, Language and IntelligenceChapter 9-Lifespan Development

2. Chapter 7 • Thinking, Language and Intelligence

3. Definition-Cognition is mental activities involved in acquiring, retaining, and using knowledge. ***Cognitive abilities are key to intelligence. • Definition-Thinking is the manipulation of mental representations to draw inferences and conclusions. ***Involves mental images and concepts. • Question-does anyone have problems going to sleep because of thinking too much before bedtime?

4. Mental Image and a Concept • Definition-Mental image is a representation of objects or events that are not present-not limited to visual images. Mental image of taste of lemon. • Definition-Conceptis a mental category of objects or ideas based on shared properties. Such as food or birds.

5. Types of Concepts • Definition-Formal concept—mental category formed by learning rules. ***shape of a square. • Definition-Natural concept—mental category formed by everyday experience. • ***Question: vehicle (name them)

6. Examples of Concepts • Definition-Formal concept—follows rigid rules, not usually intuitive (A polygon is… or a triangle is…) • Definition-Natural concept—results from everyday experience (Name some mammals…)

7. Prototypes • Definition-The most typical instance of a particular concept. • Examples: • Fruit-apple, banana or orange. Some poor prototypes might be olive or tomato. • What are prototypes of a vehicle? • What are prototypes of a bird?

8. Exemplars • Definition-Individual instance of a concept or category, held in memory. • We compare a new object to previously stored exemplars of that concept. • Example-if the concept is vehicle and the new item was boat, we would compare this to all previous memories of vehicles, such as cars, ships, airplanes and trucks.

9. Problem Solving • Definition-Trial & error is attempting different solutions and eliminating those do not work. ***Example would be trying different types of screwdrivers on screws until finding the correct fit. • Definition-Algorithm is a problem solving strategy that involves following a specific rule, procedure, or method that inevitably produces the correct solution. ***Math formulas are examples of algorithms. • Definition-Heuristic is a problem solving strategy that involves following a general rule of thumb to reduce the number of possible solutions. ***Example is breaking down an assignment into sub-goals, like the parts of a paper.

10. Insight and Intuition • Definition-Insight is the sudden realization of how a problem can be solved. • Definition-Intuition is coming to a conclusion without conscious awareness of thought processes involved. ***Do you believe in women’s intuition?

11. Solving Problems • Definition-Functional fixedness is the tendency to view objects as functioning only in their usual way. ***Question-what other uses are there for a screwdriver?

12. Heuristics • Definition-Availability heuristic is judging the probability of an event by how easily you can recall previous occurrences of that event. • Example: Most will overestimate deaths from natural disasters because disasters are frequently on TV. People over-estimate plane crashes • Definition-Representative heuristic is estimating an event by comparing how similar it is to the prototype of the event.

13. Language and Thinking • Definition-Language is a system for combining arbitrary symbols to produce an infinite number of meaningful statements. • The purpose of language is to communicate in a meaningful way that can be understood by others. • Baby Sign Language 10 min.

14. Animal Communication • Animals clearly communicate with each other, but is that language? • Some primates that have been trained demonstrate the same level of language comprehension as that of an average 2-year-old child • Non-primates can also acquire some language abilities, i.e., dolphins, parrots • PARROT AND INTELLIGENCE.

15. Intelligence Global capacity to think rationally, act purposefully, and deal effectively with the environment

16. Measuring Intelligence • Alfred Binet-developed procedures to ID kids that needed special help in school. Made first intelligence test. • Thurman developed the IQ or intelligence quotient. • IQ-derived by dividing the individual’s mental age by the chronological age and multiplying by 100.

17. Modern Intelligence Tests • The Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS)-used more widely now than Stanford-Binet test and modeled after Binet’s test. • Achievement test-designed to measure skill in a particular area. • Aptitude test-designed to assess a person’s capacity to benefit from education or training.

18. Reliability and Validity • Valid—ability to measure what the test is intended to measure • Reliable—ability to produce consistent results when administered on repeated occasions under similar conditions

19. Qualities of Good Tests • Standardized—administered to large groups of people under uniform conditions to establish norms. • Question: Are these IQ test valid for minorities such as native Americans?

20. Triarchic Theory of Intelligence • Analytic-mental processes in solving problems. Example: Rubics cube. • Creative-using past experiences, knowledge and skills to cope with new situations. • Practical-ability to adapt to the environment and example would be “street smarts.” • Mensa Testing (2 min.)

21. Nature vs. Nurture in IQ • Are differences between people due to environmental or genetic differences? • Misunderstanding the question • “Is a person’s intelligence due more to genes or to environment?” • both genes & intelligence crucial for any trait

22. Heredity and Environment • Heritability • degree to which variation in trait stems from genetic, rather than environmental, differences among individuals • Environment • degree to which variation is due to environmental rather than genetic differences

24. Creativity To enhance your creativity • Creativity as a goal • Reinforce creative behavior • Engage in problem finding • Acquire relevant knowledge • Try different approaches • Exert effort and expect setbacks

25. Lifespan Development Chapter #9

26. Developmental Psychology • What shapes the way we change over time? • Focus on psychological changes across the entire life span • Every area of psychology can be looked at from this perspective • biological development • social development • cognitive/perceptual development • personality development

28. Fundamental Issues: Nature vs. Nurture • What is role of heredity vs. environment in determining psychological makeup? • Is IQ inherited or determined by early environment? • Is there a ‘criminal’ gene? • Is sexual orientation a choice or genetically determined? • These are some of our greatest societal debates • Mistake to pose as ‘either/or’ questions

29. Overview of Genetics • Humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes • Chromosomes are long twisted strands of DNA • DNA is the chemical basis of heredity and carries instructions • Genes are the basic unit of heredity; single unit of DNA on the chromosome

30. Prenatal Development • Conception—when a sperm penetrates the ovum • Zygote—a fertilized egg • Germinal period—first two weeks after conception • Embryonic period—weeks three through eight after conception • Fetal period—two months after conception until birth

31. Prenatal Influences on Development • Nutrition • Anxiety • Mother’s general health • Maternal age • Teratogens—any agent that causes a birth defect (e.g., drugs, radiation, viruses)

32. Infant Reflexes • Rooting—turning the head and opening the mouth in the direction of a touch on the cheek • Sucking—sucking rhythmically in response to oral stimulation • Babinski—fanning and curling toes when foot is stroked

33. Infant Attachment • Intense emotional bond between infant and caregiver • Mary Ainsworth-attachment

34. Temperament • Easy—adaptable, positive mood, regular habits • Slow to warm up—low activity, somewhat slow to adapt, generally withdraw from new situations • Difficult—intense emotions, irritable, cry frequently • Average—unable to classify (1/3 of all children)

35. Forms of Attachment • Securely attached—explores the room when mother is present, becomes upset and explores less when mother is not present, shows pleasure when mother returns • Avoidantly attached—a form of insecure attachment in which child avoids mother and acts coldly to her

36. Forms of Attachment • Anxious resistant attachment—a form of insecure attachment where the child remains close to mother and remains distressed despite her attempts to comfort • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTsewNrHUHU

37. Learning, Reasoning, and Language Development over the Life Span

38. MONTH Speech Characteristic 2 Cooing vowel sounds 4 Babbling consonant/vowel 10 Babbling native language sounds 12 One-word stage 24 Two-word stage 24+ Sentences Language Development http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zPHAhj_Cio

39. Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive Development • Jean Piaget (1896–1980) Swiss psychologist who became leading theorist in 1930’s • Piaget believed that “children are active thinkers, constantly trying to construct more advanced understandings of the world” • These “understandings” are in the form of structures he called schemas

40. Erikson’s Theory • Biological in belief that there are innate drives to develop social relationships and that these promote survival (Darwinism) • Divided life span into eight psychosocial stages, each associated with a different drive and a problem or crisis to resolve • Outcome of each stage varies along a continuum from positive to negative

41. Stage 1 (Birth–1)Trust vs. Mistrust • Infants must rely on others for care • Consistent and dependable caregiving and meeting infant needs leads to a sense of trust • Infants who are not well cared for will develop mistrust

42. Stage 2 (1–3 years) Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt • Children are discovering their own independence • Those given the opportunity to experience independence will gain a sense of autonomy • Children that are overly restrained or punished harshly will develop shame and doubt

43. Stage 3 (3–5 years)Initiative vs. Guilt • Children are exposed to the wider social world and given greater responsibility • Sense of accomplishment leads to initiative, whereas feelings of guilt can emerge if the child is made to feel too anxious or irresponsible

44. Stage 4 (5–12 years) Industry vs. Inferiority • Stage of life surrounding mastery of knowledge and intellectual skills • Sense of competence and achievement leads to industry • Feeling incompetent and unproductive leads to inferiority

45. Stage 5 (Adolescence)Identity vs. Confusion • Developing a sense of who one is and where one is going in life • Successful resolution leads to positive identity • Unsuccessful resolution leads to identity confusion or a negative identity

46. Stage 6 (Young adulthood)Intimacy vs. Isolation • Time for sharing oneself with another person • Capacity to hold commitments with others leads to intimacy • Failure to establish commitments leads to feelings of isolation

47. Stage 7 (Middle adulthood)Generativity vs. Stagnation • Caring for others in family, friends, and work leads to sense of contribution to later generations • Stagnation comes from a sense of boredom and meaninglessness

48. Stage 8 (Late adulthood to Death)Integrity vs. Despair • Successful resolutions of all previous crises leads to integrity and the ability to see broad truths and advise those in earlier stages • Despair arises from feelings of helplessness and the bitter sense that life has been incomplete

49. Adult Development • Genetics and lifestyle combine to determine course of physical changes • Social development involves marriage and transition to parenthood • Paths of adult social development are varied and include diversity of lifestyles

50. Late Adulthood • Old age as a time of poor health, inactivity, and decline is a myth. • Activity theory of aging—life satisfaction is highest when people maintain level of activity they had in earlier years.