Summary for Language & Intelligence
What Is Cognition?
In this section, you were introduced to cognitive psychology, which is the study of cognition, or the brain’s ability to think, perceive, plan, analyze, and remember. Concepts and their corresponding prototypes help us quickly organize our thinking by creating categories into which we can sort new information. We also develop schemata, which are clusters of related concepts. Some schemata involve routines of thought and behaviour, and these help us function properly in various situations without having to “think twice” about them. Schemata show up in social situations and routines of daily behaviour.
Language
Language is a communication system that has both a lexicon and a system of grammar. Language acquisition occurs naturally and effortlessly during the early stages of life, and this acquisition occurs in a predictable sequence for individuals around the world. Language has a strong influence on thought, and the concept of how language may influence cognition remains an area of study and debate in psychology.
Problem Solving
Many different strategies exist for solving problems. Typical strategies include trial and error, applying algorithms, and using heuristics. To solve a large, complicated problem, it often helps to break the problem into smaller steps that can be accomplished individually, leading to an overall solution. Roadblocks to problem solving include a mental set, functional fixedness, and various biases that can cloud decision making skills.
What Are Intelligence and Creativity?
Intelligence is a complex characteristic of cognition. Many theories have been developed to explain what intelligence is and how it works. Sternberg generated his triarchic theory of intelligence, whereas Gardner posits that intelligence is comprised of many factors. Still others focus on the importance of emotional intelligence. Finally, creativity seems to be a facet of intelligence, but it is extremely difficult to measure objectively.
Measures of Intelligence
In this section, we learned about the history of intelligence testing and some of the challenges regarding intelligence testing. Intelligence tests began in earnest with Binet; Wechsler later developed intelligence tests that are still in use today: the WAIS-IV and WISC-V. The Bell curve shows the range of scores that encompass average intelligence as well as standard deviations.
The Source of Intelligence
Genetics and environment affect intelligence and the challenges of certain learning disabilities. The intelligence levels of all individuals seem to benefit from rich stimulation in their early environments. Highly intelligent individuals, however, may have a built-in resiliency that allows them to overcome difficult obstacles in their upbringing.
Here at MUN
MUN’s Psychology Department include several faculty members that study various topics within cognition. Dr. Heath Matheson examines embodied cognition – thinking and learning occur through the interaction of our brains and bodies – using neuroimaging techniques. Other cognitive scientists in the Psychology Department include Drs. Jonathan Fawcett and Kathleen Hourihan who both study different facets of memory like forgetting unwanted memories and metamemory, respectively.
While there are no researchers in MUN’s Psychology Department whose work focuses solely on language. Both Drs. Carole Peterson and Brent Snook have studied how the language we use impacts the way people respond to questions. Dr. Peterson’s work looks at children’s early memories and the language children use to describe their experiences. Dr. Snook evaluates interviewing techniques in a legal setting to better understand how the language used in a line of questioning may impact issues like false confessions or people not understanding their rights. Beyond human behaviour, Dr. David Wilson an interdisciplinary faculty member with Psychology’s Cognitive and Behavioural Ecology Program (CABE), studies animal (e.g., birds and squirrels) communication in his Animal Behaviour Lab.
MUN’s PsyD program (Doctor in Psychology) includes course work to train graduate students on how to administer and interpret the results of different psychological assessments like the WAIS-IV and WISC-V.
