Cognition Basics
This word means how we think, learn, and remember.
Cognition
Taking in new information is called this.
encoding
Most dreaming happens in this stage.
REM sleep
Caffeine and nicotine are examples of this class of drugs.
stimulants
Babies learning object permanence are in this Piaget stage.
sensorimotor stage
This type of attention helps you focus on one thing while blocking out distractions.
selective attention
Bringing stored information back out is called this.
retrieval
This 24-hour cycle controls your sleep-wake schedule.
circadian rhythms
Alcohol is this type of drug that slows the brain down.
depressant
Teens who understand sarcasm, fairness, and hypothetical questions are in this stage.
formal operational stage
The sudden “Aha!” problem-solving moment is called this.
insight
This type of memory lasts only a few seconds.
sensory memory (or short-term memory)
A disorder where a person stops breathing during sleep.
sleep apnea
This brain chemical is part of the reward pathway and makes you feel good.
dopamine
Kids in this stage struggle with conservation tasks because they focus on only one part of a problem at a time.
preoperational stage
When you only see an object for its usual use (like only using a paperclip for papers), this is called…
functional fixedness
This type of memory can last hours, years, or your whole life.
long-term memory
This disorder causes sudden “sleep attacks” during the day.
narcolepsy
Drugs like hallucinogens cause people to see or hear things that aren’t real. What is this called?
hallucinations
The ZPD (Zone of Proximal Development) explains the difference between what two things?
child can do alone vs. what they can do with help.
This mental shortcut helps you solve problems quickly but isn’t always accurate.
heuristic
When you forget something because stress blocks the memory, this is called…
retrieval failure
REM sleep helps your brain process these emotional nighttime stories.
dreams
This sleep stage + this brain chemical = stronger learning and memory after studying.
REM sleep and dopamine
This brain region helps you produce speech, and this one helps you understand language.
Broca’s area and Wernicke’s area