Learning Objectives

These are the concepts and the learning objectives for Chapter 8. Read them carefully as part of your preliminary survey of the chapter.

Thinking and Reasoning

1. Define cognition and the processes of thinking, mental imagery, and conceptualizing. (pp. 228-232)

2. Describe the process of syllogistic reasoning. (pp. 232-233)

3. Discuss how algorithms and heuristics influence our judgments and decision making. (p. 233)

Problem Solving

4. Explain the importance of understanding and diagnosing problems as the first step in effective problem solving. (pp. 234-237)

5. Describe the heuristics used for generating possible solutions to problems, and explain how solutions should be evaluated. (pp. 238-240)

6. Illustrate how efforts to develop solutions can be blocked by functional fixedness, mental set, and confirmation bias. (pp. 241-243)

7. Describe the factors that contribute to creativity, and the role of creativity in problem solving and critical thinking. (pp. 243-244)

Language

8. Define the basic components of language and grammar. (pp. 246-247)

9. Discuss the developmental processes of language and the theories of language acquisition. (pp. 247-249)

10. Identify the issues that arise with the linguistic relativity hypothesis, animal language, and bilingual education. (pp. 249-252)