front 1 Cognition | back 1 Mental processes involved in thinking and understanding. Example: Solving a math problem. |
front 2 Metacognition | back 2 Thinking about your own thinking. Example: Realizing you study better with flashcards. |
front 3 Concepts | back 3 Mental groupings of similar things. Example: The concept of “dogs” includes all breeds. |
front 4 Prototype | back 4 Best example of a category. Example: A robin is a common prototype for a bird. |
front 5 Schemas | back 5 Frameworks that organize information. Example: A schema for “restaurant” includes menus, ordering, and paying. |
front 6 Assimilate | back 6 Using old schemas to interpret new info. Example: Calling a zebra a “striped horse.” |
front 7 Accomadate | back 7 Changing schemas to fit new info. Example: Learning zebras are a separate animal and updating your schema. |
front 8 Creativity | back 8 Producing new and valuable ideas. Example: Designing an original art project. |
front 9 Convergent | back 9 Thinking that finds one best answer. Example: Choosing the correct answer on a multiple-choice test. |
front 10 Divergent | back 10 Thinking that produces many solutions. Example: Listing all possible uses for a paperclip. |
front 11 Expertise | back 11 Deep knowledge in a specific area. Example: A chess master remembering complex board patterns. |
front 12 Intrinsic Motivation | back 12 Doing something because you enjoy it. Example: Playing piano for fun. |
front 13 Executive Function | back 13 Planning, decision-making, self-control. Example: Organizing tasks before starting homework. |
front 14 Algorithm | back 14 Step-by-step method guaranteeing a solution. Example: Using a math formula to solve an equation. |
front 15 Heuristic | back 15 Shortcut strategy that speeds problem-solving. Example: Using “rules of thumb” to make quick decisions. |
front 16 Insight | back 16 Sudden realization of a solution. Example: The answer pops into your head while showering. |
front 17 Confirmation Bias | back 17 Seeking info that supports beliefs. Example: Only reading news that matches your opinions. |
front 18 Fixation | back 18 Inability to see a problem in a new way. Example: Trying the same broken solution repeatedly. |
front 19 Mental Set | back 19 Using old strategies because they worked before. Example: Solving all problems with the same method even when it stops working. |
front 20 Intuition | back 20 Automatic, gut-feeling judgments. Example: Instantly liking or disliking someone. |
front 21 Representative Heuristic | back 21 Judging based on similarity to a prototype. Example: Assuming a quiet, bookish person is a librarian. |
front 22 Availability Heuristic | back 22 Judging likelihood based on examples that come to mind. Example: Thinking plane crashes are common after seeing one on the news. |
front 23 Overconfidence | back 23 Overestimating accuracy of beliefs. Example: Being sure you aced a test you did poorly on. |
front 24 Belief Perseverence | back 24 Sticking to beliefs even after evidence disproves them. Example: Still believing a myth after seeing real data. |
front 25 Framing | back 25 How wording influences decisions. Example: Choosing a product labeled “90% fat-free.” |
front 26 Nudge | back 26 Small change that influences behavior. Example: Putting fruit at eye level to encourage healthy choices. |