Cognition, Cognition, Language and Language and

Creativity Creativity Chapter 10Chapter 10

McElhaneyMcElhaney

BasicsBasics

Language is used to encode informationLanguage is used to encode information Animals are capable of rudimentary Animals are capable of rudimentary

language use only with aid of human language use only with aid of human intervention.intervention.

Problem solving = acquired knowledge Problem solving = acquired knowledge + strategies+ strategies

Creative Thinking= is novel, new, Creative Thinking= is novel, new, divergentdivergent

What is thinking?What is thinking?

Cognition-Cognition- mentally processing mentally processing informationinformation

Cognitive Psychology-Cognitive Psychology- is the study of is the study of human information processing.human information processing.

Thinking is an Thinking is an internal representationinternal representation (mental expression) of a problem or (mental expression) of a problem or situationsituation

Basic Units of ThoughtBasic Units of Thought

ImagesImages ConceptsConcepts: ideas, representations- by : ideas, representations- by

class of related conceptsclass of related concepts

LanguageLanguage: words symbols + rules : words symbols + rules for combining themfor combining them

Mental ImageryMental Imagery

People use Visual People use Visual ImagesImages

Auditory ImagesAuditory Images

SynesthesiaSynesthesia: : images cross images cross normal sensory normal sensory barriersbarriers Colors, tastes, Colors, tastes,

odorsodors

People use People use imagery: imagery:

Decision making- Decision making- problem solvingproblem solving

Change Feelings Change Feelings <thinking><thinking>

To improve skill To improve skill and prepare for and prepare for actionaction

To aid memoryTo aid memory

Mental Images are 3-DMental Images are 3-D

Mental rotation is possible making Mental rotation is possible making imagined movementsimagined movements

The Minds Eye- The Minds Eye- 1. Brain areas where memories are 1. Brain areas where memories are

storedstored 2. Send signals back to visual cortex2. Send signals back to visual cortex 3. Where images are created3. Where images are created

Using Mental ImagesUsing Mental Images

We use stored imagesWe use stored images Info from memory is usedInfo from memory is used We apply past experiences to We apply past experiences to

problem solvingproblem solving

Created imagesCreated images are- ideas/images not are- ideas/images not remembered but created remembered but created

Artists see the image and it is createdArtists see the image and it is created

Kinesthetic ImageryKinesthetic Imagery

Muscular sensationsMuscular sensations Important in music, sports, and Important in music, sports, and

dancedance

Micro-movements= occur in Micro-movements= occur in connection between muscle activity connection between muscle activity + thinking+ thinking

Concepts Concepts

Idea that represents a class of Idea that represents a class of objects or eventsobjects or events

Very abstractVery abstract

Identify features of objectsIdentify features of objects

Conceptual thinking is the ability to Conceptual thinking is the ability to classify into categoriesclassify into categories

Concept FormationConcept Formation

Concepts are learnedConcepts are learned Process of Process of classifying informationclassifying information

into meaningful categoriesinto meaningful categories Concepts are identified by:Concepts are identified by:

Positive InstancesPositive Instances vs. vs. Negative Negative InstancesInstances

Items are classified as either part of a Items are classified as either part of a concept or not.concept or not.

Conceptual RulesConceptual Rules

Help us decipher– Help us decipher– Help us order conceptsHelp us order concepts

Types of ConceptsTypes of Concepts Conjunction Conjunction

Concepts-Concepts- Must have 2 or more Must have 2 or more

featuresfeatures ““In conjunction with”In conjunction with”

Relational Concepts-Relational Concepts- With principal With principal

definitions of definitions of concept based on concept based on

relationsrelations Example:Example: Sister and brotherSister and brother Below and underBelow and under

Disjunctive Disjunctive ConceptsConcepts

Concepts must Concepts must have one of several have one of several possible featurespossible features

““It must have this It must have this feature or that feature or that feature”feature”

Either or qualitiesEither or qualities

Types of Concepts 2Types of Concepts 2 Prototypes-Prototypes- ideal models to identify ideal models to identify

concepts- concepts- Examples of conceptExamples of concept

Connotative Meaning:Connotative Meaning: emotional or emotional or personal meaning/understandingpersonal meaning/understanding Connote = Ideas about, signifies Connote = Ideas about, signifies Measured by Measured by Semantic Differential- Semantic Differential-

qualitative ratingqualitative rating Based on a scaleBased on a scale

Denotive Meaning- word definition, is Denotive Meaning- word definition, is exact definitionexact definition

Faulty ConceptsFaulty Concepts

Are understandings that lead to Are understandings that lead to thinking errors.thinking errors.

Example= Social StereotypesExample= Social Stereotypes Over simplified (beliefs or) concepts of Over simplified (beliefs or) concepts of

peoplepeople One dimensional thoughtOne dimensional thought

LanguageLanguage

Thinking relies heavily on languageThinking relies heavily on language Words encodeWords encode (translate) the world (translate) the world

into symbols.into symbols.

SemanticsSemantics = study of the meaning if = study of the meaning if wordswords Words get meaning from ContextWords get meaning from Context

Semantics affect thinkingSemantics affect thinking when when words we use alter meaningwords we use alter meaning

Debate over Acquisition of Debate over Acquisition of LanguageLanguage

Skinner: Skinner: Behaviorist: Operant Behaviorist: Operant

Learning of languageLearning of language Association-Association- sights of sights of

things with sounds of things with sounds of wordswords

ImitationImitation- of words and - of words and syntax modeled by syntax modeled by othersothers

Reinforcement-Reinforcement- with with success and smilessuccess and smiles

““The vocal musculature The vocal musculature became susceptible to became susceptible to operant conditioning”operant conditioning”

Chomsky = inborn Chomsky = inborn universal grammaruniversal grammar

Behavior explanation Behavior explanation is over simplifiedis over simplified

Language naturally Language naturally occursoccurs

But still needs nurtureBut still needs nurture Thinking processThinking process Children learn their Children learn their

environment’s environment’s languagelanguage

Children begin using Children begin using morphemes in a morphemes in a predictable orderpredictable order

Your ability to learn Your ability to learn language is inborn.language is inborn.

Chomsky 2Chomsky 2

All human languages have the same All human languages have the same grammatical building blocks = Universal grammatical building blocks = Universal GrammarGrammar Nouns, verbs, subjects, objects, negations, Nouns, verbs, subjects, objects, negations,

questionsquestions Our Brains are pre-wired for languageOur Brains are pre-wired for language

We all start speaking in nouns, We all start speaking in nouns, It happens naturallyIt happens naturally

Or brains have a language acquisition device Or brains have a language acquisition device But need to be exposed to language But need to be exposed to language

Structure of LanguageStructure of Language PhonemesPhonemes: basic : basic

speech soundsspeech sounds Morphemes:Morphemes: sounds sounds

with meaning “sounds with meaning “sounds collected into collected into meaningful units”meaningful units”

Grammar:Grammar: set of rules set of rules for making sounds into for making sounds into words and sentenceswords and sentences

SyntaxSyntax: rules for word : rules for word order “man bites dog”order “man bites dog”

Chomsky-Chomsky- Unspoken rules we Unspoken rules we

use to change ideas use to change ideas into sentencesinto sentences

Universal core Universal core patterns:patterns: PastPast PassivePassive NegativeNegative Question Question

Language is Language is productiveproductive

We can generate We can generate new thoughts or new thoughts or ideasideas

LanguageLanguage Is not limited to Is not limited to

speechspeech American Sign American Sign

LanguageLanguage

Gestural Language

Animal Languages?Animal Languages? No evidence of formal No evidence of formal

languagelanguage Only simple messagesOnly simple messages Examples:Examples: VickiVicki Washoe chimp (the Washoe chimp (the

Gardners)Gardners) Used sign languageUsed sign language 240 signs240 signs 6 word sentences6 word sentences

SarahSarah ChimpChimp Used magnetic symbolsUsed magnetic symbols Learned to questionLearned to question Label thingsLabel things Classify objects, color, Classify objects, color,

size, and shapesize, and shape KanziKanzi

ChimpChimp Found chimps able to Found chimps able to

produce language based produce language based on on Lexigrams-Lexigrams- machine machine buttons + symbols buttons + symbols primitive sentencesprimitive sentences

Criticism of Animal Criticism of Animal LanguageLanguage

People say it doesn’t workPeople say it doesn’t work Simply an operant response to get Simply an operant response to get

foodfood

Counter response-Counter response- said yes they use said yes they use symbols hold conversationssymbols hold conversations Patterns + Similar to conversations like Patterns + Similar to conversations like

young childrenyoung children

Problem SolvingProblem Solving

Mechanical solutionsMechanical solutions Trial and errorTrial and error Rote- thinking is guided by a learned set of rulesRote- thinking is guided by a learned set of rules

Solving by UnderstandingSolving by Understanding Deeper Comprehension of a problem (helps Deeper Comprehension of a problem (helps

solving)solving) Discover general properties of a solutionDiscover general properties of a solution General solution identifies the requirements for General solution identifies the requirements for

successsuccess Proposes a series of functional (workable) solutionsProposes a series of functional (workable) solutions

Then chooses the best oneThen chooses the best one

Algorithms and Algorithms and HeuristicsHeuristics

AlgorithmAlgorithm A step-by-step A step-by-step

procedure that procedure that guarantees a guarantees a solutionsolution

HeuristicsHeuristics A strategy for A strategy for

identifying and identifying and evaluating problems evaluating problems and solutionsand solutions

Then Then random searchrandom search limiting the number limiting the number of alternatives then of alternatives then apply trial and error apply trial and error

““car doesn’t start car doesn’t start check the battery”check the battery”

IDEAL StrategyIDEAL Strategy Heuristic=have a general thinking Heuristic=have a general thinking

strategy strategy Bransford- researcher, 5 stepsBransford- researcher, 5 steps IdentifyIdentify Define-Define- problem clearly problem clearly Explore-Explore- possible solutions + relevant possible solutions + relevant

knowledgeknowledge Act-Act-= try a possible solution or = try a possible solution or

hypothesishypothesis LookLook at results and at results and learnlearn from results from results

InsightInsight

Involves selective encoding- Involves selective encoding- selecting infor that is relevant to a selecting infor that is relevant to a problemproblem Ignore distractionsIgnore distractions

Selective CombinationsSelective Combinations Bringing together seemingly unrelated Bringing together seemingly unrelated

bits of useful informationbits of useful information Selective ComparisonSelective Comparison

Ability to compare new problems with Ability to compare new problems with old info or with problems already solvedold info or with problems already solved

Insightful SolutionsInsightful Solutions

InsightInsight = seeing a solution = seeing a solution Rapid and clear info-ideas about a Rapid and clear info-ideas about a

topic topic Create insight by reorganizing a Create insight by reorganizing a

problem problem See it in new ways and then see new See it in new ways and then see new

solutionssolutions

Barrier to Problem Solving:Barrier to Problem Solving:FixationFixation

Characterized by- becoming Characterized by- becoming blind to blind to alternativesalternatives

Tendency to be Tendency to be “hung up”“hung up” on wrong on wrong solutionssolutions

Caused by unnecessary restrictions Caused by unnecessary restrictions on our thinkingon our thinking

Restricted ThinkingRestricted Thinking

Functional Fixedness-Functional Fixedness- not able to not able to think outside the boxthink outside the box Inability to see new uses for familiar Inability to see new uses for familiar

objectsobjects or things we use in a particular wayor things we use in a particular way

Other BarriersOther Barriers Emotional BarrierEmotional Barrier

Inhibition, fear of making a fool of oneselfInhibition, fear of making a fool of oneself Fear of making a mistakeFear of making a mistake Inability to tolerate ambiguityInability to tolerate ambiguity Excessive self-criticismExcessive self-criticism

Cultural BarriersCultural Barriers Cultural views prevent creative problem solvingCultural views prevent creative problem solving

Learned Barriers- Learned Barriers- Conventions about user-Conventions about user- Traditional views limit possibilitiesTraditional views limit possibilities

Perceptual BarriersPerceptual Barriers Habits lead to lack of solutionsHabits lead to lack of solutions

Creative ThinkingCreative ThinkingInductiveInductive LogicalLogical

DeductiveDeductive IllogicalIllogical

Fluency- total # of suggestions

Flexibility- # of times you shift from one class of possible uses to another

Originality- refers to ow novel or unusual the suggestions are

Creative ThinkingCreative Thinking Must be practical or sensibleMust be practical or sensible

Inductive ThinkingInductive Thinking Specific to the facts or general principlesSpecific to the facts or general principles

Deductive ThinkingDeductive Thinking Going from general principles to specific principles Going from general principles to specific principles

Logical ThinkingLogical Thinking Proceeding from given information to new conclusions on the Proceeding from given information to new conclusions on the

bais of explicit rulesbais of explicit rules Conclusions base don formal principals of reasonsingConclusions base don formal principals of reasonsing

Illogical Illogical Intuitive, associated or personalIntuitive, associated or personal

Creative ThinkingCreative Thinking

Divergent ThinkingDivergent Thinking

Convergent thinkingConvergent thinking

Test of CreativityTest of Creativity

Unusual Uses TestUnusual Uses Test Person tries to think of as many possible uses Person tries to think of as many possible uses

for some objectfor some object Consequences TestConsequences Test

Goal to list the consequences that would Goal to list the consequences that would follow a basic changefollow a basic change

Anagram TestAnagram Test Use a wordUse a word Find as many new words as possible by Find as many new words as possible by

rearranging the lettersrearranging the letters

Stages of Creative Stages of Creative ThoughtThought

OrientationOrientation Define problems, Identify dimensionsDefine problems, Identify dimensions

PreparationPreparation Collect and use as much info as possibleCollect and use as much info as possible

IncubationIncubation Time is needed to process and thinkTime is needed to process and think

IlluminationIllumination Insight gained “light bulb” goes offInsight gained “light bulb” goes off

VerificationVerification

Creative PersonalityCreative Personality

Creative CharacteristicsCreative Characteristics

Logic and IntuitionLogic and Intuition