AP Psychology
Cerqueira Guide
VII. Cognition
(Thinking is about 2-4%
by itself)
In this unit students … examine
problem solving, language, and
creativity. AP students in psychology
should be able to:
•Synthesize how biological, cognitive,
and cultural factors converge to
facilitate acquisition, development,
use of language.
• Identify problem-solving strategies
as well as factors that influence their
effectiveness.
• List the characteristics of creative
thought and creative thinkers.
• Identify key contributors in
cognitive psychology (e.g., Noam
Chomsky, Wolfgang Köhler).
Date
Class
info
T 3/25
Read
XI. Testing and Individual Differences (5–7%)
An understanding of intelligence and assessment of individual differences is
highlighted in this portion of the course. Students must understand issues
related to test construction and fair use. AP students in psychology should be
able to do the following:
• Define intelligence and list characteristics of how psychologists measure
intelligence:
— abstract versus verbal measures; speed of processing.
• Discuss how culture influences the definition of intelligence.
• Compare and contrast historic and contemporary theories of intelligence
(e.g., Charles Spearman, Howard Gardner, Robert Sternberg).
• Explain how psychologists design tests, including standardization strategies
and
other techniques to establish reliability and validity.
• Interpret the meaning of scores in terms of the normal curve.
• Describe relevant labels related to intelligence testing (e.g., gifted, cognitively
disabled).
• Debate the appropriate testing practices, particularly in relation to culture-fair
test uses.
• Identify key contributors in intelligence research and testing
(e.g., Alfred Binet, Francis Galton, Howard Gardner, Charles Spearman,
Robert Sternberg, Louis Terman, David Wechsler)
Topics to know
tonight:
395409
W
3/26
R quiz
on 395409
410429
Th
3/27
C quiz
on T &
L
(EOP).
431441
F 3/28
R quiz
on 431441
442454
M
3/31
Unit 8: Thinking, Language and Intelligence
455467
Cognitive psychology. Concept formation: categories, heuristics and algorithms. (+/- of
H and A?) Insight (AHA!). Obstacles to problem solving: confirmation bias, fixation
(mental set and functional fixedness). Availability and representativeness heuristics.
How does overconfidence  errors? How we’re affected by vivid events. Framing (hint:
remember wording effects in surveys). Belief bias & belief perseverance. +/- of intuition.
How LANGUAGE is structured: phonemes, morphemes, grammar, syntax and semantics.
How does language develop? Table 10.2: babbling, one-word and two-word stage
(telegraphic). Theories of L development: Skinner v. Chomsky. Universal grammar,
surface v. deep structure. Critical periods of language development (GENIE!). Read the
“to summarize” paragraph carefully about biology and experience. How language
influences thinking (Whorf/linguistic determination – Eskimo words for snow?). Does
language affect your thinking? (doublethink!) What about the pronoun “he”? When you
learn more words, it expands your ability to think. Do animals have language? What do you
think of Pinker’s comment on p.427? Do animals have moral rights?
Intelligence. What’s the “intelligence war” refer to? Read carefully about the reification of
intelligence. Is intelligence one ability or several? How can we locate and measure
intelligence? Spearman’s single intelligence idea (g). Arguments for several intelligences:
Gardner and Sternberg (think of +/- for each). Emotional intelligence. Intelligence and
creativity (great cartoons on 438). Can intelligence be measured by the brain (size,
function speed)?
What is an intelligence test? Origins of modern intelligence: Binet + Simon. Mental age.
How did Terman change the idea of an IQ test? Stanford-Binet. Learn the IQ formula! How IQ
tests were misused: Army tests and immigration limits. Aptitude v. achievement. WAIS and
WISC. Look at Fig. 11.4 – what is intelligence? Test construction: standardization,
reliability, validity (content v. predictive). THE NORMAL CURVE, Flynn effect. What do
you think about IQ and IQ tests? Does intelligence change or is it stable over time? What are
the limits of the SAT and GRE? Degrees of mental retardation (70 and below) and gifted
(135+). Lewis Terman’s studies of the gifted.
TWIN studies – genetic and environmental influences on IQ. HERITABILITY (102-104).
How does environment shape intelligence? Group differences in IQ test scores – see Fig.
T 4/1
W 4/2
C quiz on I (EOP)
11.11. Racial and ethnic differences – how do genetic and environmental factors explain
them? Gender similarities and intelligence. How does bias affect test scores? Stereotype
threat. Are tests discriminatory? (Why does Myers say YES and NO?)
Review in class.
Test on T L I. For tonight’s reading, see next Cerqueira guide.