Experience Psychology 2nd Edition by

King ISBN 0078035341 780078035340

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Chapter 7: Thinking, Intelligence, and Language

Learning Goals
1. The Cognitive Revolution in Psychology
2. Thinking
3. Intelligence
4. Language

❖ Chapter Overview
❖ Connections
❖ Teaching the Chapter
Lecture Outlines by Section
Lecture/Discussion Suggestions by Section
❖ Critical Thinking Questions
❖ Readings, Videos, and Web Site Suggestions
❖ Activity Handouts

Chapter Overview
The Value of a Really Good Idea
So many of the everyday things we take for granted started as someone else’s good idea.
These inventions happened because somebody noticed a problem and came up with a
solution.
Having a really good idea is the beginning of a long journey—one that can be difficult and
costly. An innovative crowdfunding (the raising of money, often via the Internet) website,
Kickstarter.com, is a place where creative people can apply to receive start-up funds to put
their really good ideas into action. Most interesting is that those who pledge funds to the
projects are not typical investors. In fact, they are not investors at all. They receive nothing
(except perhaps a t-shirt or trinket) in return for their pledge money; they are lending
financial support to the inventors based solely on their own enthusiasm for a really good idea.
This chapter explores the thinking and intelligence that underpin such endeavors.

1. The Cognitive Revolution in Psychology

Cognitive psychologists study cognition—the way information is processed and manipulated
in remembering, thinking, and knowing. In the 1950s, the age of behaviorism started to
change. The invention of computers provided a new way to think about the human mind.
Researchers speculated that some mental processes might be modeled by computers, which
could provide information about how the human mind works. Computers provide a logical,
concrete model of how information is processed in the mind. The information entered into a
computer is done so by humans, who have coded the information and removed much of its
ambiguity. In the human mind, each brain cell, or neuron, can respond to information—that
is often ambiguous—transmitted through sensory receptors such as the eyes and ears.
Computers can do many things faster and better than the human mind. However, the human
mind can learn new rules, relationships, concepts, and patterns that it can generalize to new
situations. Computers are limited in their ability to perform these functions.
Artificial intelligence (AI) refers to the science of creating machines that are capable of
performing activities that require intelligence when they are performed by people.

2. Thinking
Thinking involves manipulating information mentally by forming concepts, solving
problems, making decisions, and reflecting in a critical or creative manner.

A. Concepts
Concepts are mental categories that can be used to group objects, events, and characteristics.
There are four reasons concepts are important. First, concepts allow us to generalize. Second,
concepts allow us to associate experiences and objects. Third, concepts aid in memory.
Fourth, they provide clues about how to react to a particular object or experience.
The prototype model is described as the way a person looks for a family resemblance when
they are evaluating whether something belongs to a particular concept. The prototype is
based on the average characteristic or group of traits of a concept.

B. Problem Solving
Problem solving is an attempt to find the appropriate way of achieving a goal when one is
not readily available.

• Following the Steps in Problem Solving

Find and frame problems.
You must recognize the problem. You should ask questions in creative ways and see what
others may not see.
Develop Good Problem-Solving Strategies
Subgoaling involves setting intermediate goals or defining intermediate problems that put
you in a better position for reaching a final goal or solution.
Algorithms are strategies that guarantee a solution to a problem. A recipe for cooking a
dinner dish is an example of an algorithm.
Heuristics are shortcut strategies that suggest a solution to a problem but do not guarantee an
answer.
Evaluate Solutions
A person will not know if a particular solution is the correct one until trying it to see if it
works.
Rethink and Redefine Problems and Solutions Over Time
People should continually rethink and redefine problems. They should always be trying to
improve on the last problem to come up, with an even better way of finding a solution.

• An Obstacle to Problem Solving: Becoming Fixated

Fixation means reemploying a prior strategy and failing to look at the problem from a fresh,
new perspective.
Functional fixedness occurs when an individual fails to solve a problem because of being
fixated on the usual functions.
Solving a problem may involve trying something new that has never been attempted before.

C. Reasoning and Decision Making

• Reasoning
Reasoning is the mental activity of transforming information to reach conclusions.
Inductive reasoning involves reasoning from the specific to the general or from the bottom
up. It can draw conclusions about something very broad, based on only a few of the
characteristics.
Deductive reasoning is reasoning from the general to the specific.

• Decision Making
Decision making involves evaluating all the alternatives and then making an informed
choice.

• Two Systems of Reasoning and Decision Making

Biases and heuristics
The confirmation bias is the tendency to search for and use information that supports our
ideas rather than refutes them. The confirmation bias is even stronger when a person seeks
out others who share his or her beliefs.
Hindsight bias is the tendency for a person to report falsely that they predicted an outcome.
The availability heuristic refers to a prediction about the probability of an event that is
based on the ease of recalling or imagining similar events.
The representative heuristic refers to the tendency to make judgments about group
membership based on physical appearances or stereotypes rather than available information.

D. Thinking Critically and Creatively

• Critical Thinking
Critical thinking means thinking reflectively and productively and evaluating the evidence.
People who are critical thinkers grasp the deeper meaning of things. They keep an open mind
about different approaches and perspectives and also decide for themselves what to believe
and not believe.
Critical thinkers should see past the obvious and question long-held assumptions.
Mindfulness means being alert and mentally present for everyday activities. It is important
to critical thinking. A person who is mindful continues to create new ideas, is open to new
information, and is aware of the existence of more than one perspective.
Open-mindedness means being receptive to the possibility of other ways of looking at
things. Many times people are not aware that there is another side to an issue or evidence that
goes against what they believe.

• Creative Thinking
Creativity refers to the ability to think about something in novel, unusual ways and come up
with unconventional solutions to problems.
Divergent thinking produces many answers to the same question.
Convergent thinking means there is only one answer to a question.
Creative thinkers have the following characteristics: flexibility and playful thinking, an inner
motivation, a willingness to face risk, and the ability to evaluate work objectively.

3. Intelligence

Intelligence refers to an all-purpose ability to do well on cognitive tests, solve problems, and
learn from experience.
Different cultures perceive intelligence differently.

A. Measuring Intelligence
In psychology, a person’s intelligence is generally measured by an Intelligence Quotient (IQ)
test.
The validity of a test is the extent to which the test measures what it intends to. An important
measure of validity is the degree to which it predicts an individual’s performance when
assessed by other measures.
The reliability of a test is the extent to which the test yields a consistent measure that can be
reproduced.
If a test is valid, it must also be reliable, but a reliable test need not be valid.
Standardization refers to developing uniform procedures for administering and scoring a
test. The testing environment should be as uniform as possible for all individuals.

• IQ Tests
Alfred Binet developed the first intelligence test. His designed the test to determine which
students would not benefit from regular classroom instruction.
Binet developed the concept of what is known as a person’s mental age (MA), meaning their
level of mental development relative to that of others.
A person’s chronological age is the actual temporal age of the individual.
Intelligence quotient (IQ) was developed by William Stern. IQ is determined by a person’s
mental age divided by their chronological age and then multiplied by 100. If a person’s
mental age is the same as their chronological age, their IQ is 100, which is average.
A normal distribution is a bell-shaped curve with the majority of the scores falling in the
middle of the distribution.

• Cultural Bias in Testing

Many of the early intelligence tests were culturally biased, because they favored individuals
from urban rather than rural environments. They were also biased toward people of middle as
opposed to low socioeconomic status, and white Americans rather than African Americans.
Culturally fair tests are intelligence tests that are designed to be culturally unbiased. It is
difficult to develop a culturally unbiased test, because intelligence is viewed differently by
different cultures.

B. Genetic and Environmental Influences on Intelligence

Heritability refers to the proportion of the differences in IQs in a population that is attributed
to genetic differences. The highest degree of heritability is 100 percent.
Genetics definitely plays a part in intelligence, but researchers have also found that the
environment can change IQ scores considerably.
The Flynn effect demonstrates how education can have a positive effect on intelligence tests.
People tested at the turn of the 20th century, who were then regarded as having average
intelligence, would now be seen as having below-average intelligence.
The word intelligent does not apply only to people; it can also be attached to behaviors. The
ability to master skills, actively think about life, and make life decisions thoughtfully are
intelligent behaviors.

C. Extremes of Intelligence

• Giftedness
People considered gifted have an IQ score of 130 or higher and/or a superior talent for
something.
Lewis Terman ran extensive studies on children who were classified as gifted and found that
they were not only academically gifted but were also socially well adjusted.
Giftedness is a product of both heredity and environment.

• Intellectual Disability
Intellectual disability (formerly termed mental retardation) is a condition of limited mental
ability in which a person has an IQ score below 70 and has difficulty adapting to everyday
life. He or she would have first exhibited these characteristics during the so-called
developmental period, before the age of 18.
There are different classifications of mental retardation, ranging from mild to moderate to
severe or profound. The majority of people with mental retardation fall in the mild range.
Organic retardation is caused by a genetic disorder or brain damage. Down syndrome is a
form of organic retardation.
Cultural-familial retardation is a mental deficit in which no evidence of organic brain
damage can be found. Psychologists believe that these individuals’ type of retardation is the
result of growing up in a below-average intellectual environment.

D. Theories of Multiple Intelligences

• Sternberg’s Triarchic Theory and Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences

Robert J. Sternberg developed the triarchic theory of intelligence, which is composed of
analytical intelligence, creative intelligence, and practical intelligence.
Howard Gardner suggests that there are eight different types of intelligence:
Verbal
Mathematical
Spatial
Bodily-kinesthetic
Musical
Interpersonal
Intrapersonal
Naturalistic

• Evaluating the Approaches of Multiple-Intelligences

Critics of the theory of multiple intelligences argue that a research base for both Sternberg’s
and Gardner’s multiple intelligences do not exist. These critics believe that if an individual
excels in one area he or she will most likely excel in other areas as well.

4. Language
Language is a form of communication that is based on a system of symbols. It can be
spoken, signed, or written.

A. The Basic Properties of Language

• Infinite generativity is the ability to produce an endless number of meaningful sentences.

Phonology is a language’s sound system. Language is made up of phonemes, or basic
sounds.
Morphology is a language’s rules for word formation. Every word in the English language is
made up of morphemes, the smallest unit of a language that means something.
Syntax is a language’s rules for combining words into acceptable phrases and sentences.
Semantics is the meaning of the words and sentences in a language.
Pragmatics is the ability of language to communicate more meaning than what is actually
said.

B. Language and Cognition

Language is a vehicle for communicating most of our thoughts to each other.

• The Role of Language in Cognition

Language helps people think, make inferences, handle difficult decisions, and solve
problems.
Benjamin Whorf argued that language determines the way we think, a view that has been
called the linguistic relativity hypothesis.
Some researchers believe that language determines the way a person thinks.

• The Role of Cognition in Language

Although thought influences language and language influences thought, there is increasing
evidence that language and thought are not part of a single system.

B. Biological and Environmental Influences on Language

• Biological Influences
The brain, nervous system, and vocal apparatus of our ancestors changed over hundreds of
thousands of years.
Our sophisticated language ability gave humans a great advantage over other animals and
increased our chances of survival.
Language Universals:
According to Noam Chomsky, humans are prewired to learn language at a certain time in life
and in a certain way. Children all over the world reach language milestones at around the
same time in life and in about the same order.
Language and the Brain:
Research has shown that the brain has regions that are predisposed to being used for
language. Language processing, such as speech and grammar, mainly occurs in the left
hemisphere.

• Environmental Influences
According to behaviorists, language is a complex learned skill.
The behavioral view of language learning has several problems. First, it does not explain how
people create novel sentences. Second, children learn the syntax of their native language
even if they are not reinforced for doing so.
The behavioral view is no longer considered a viable explanation of how children acquire
language.

C. Language Development over the Life Span

Most individuals develop a clear understanding of their language’s structure, as well as a
large vocabulary, during childhood.
Before babies begin speaking, they start to babble. This begins at around three to six months
of age. Infants begin to detect word boundaries (when one word stops and another begins) by
eight months of age.
Around 10 to 13 months of age, children speak their first words.
By the time children reach the age of 18 to 24 months, they are speaking in two-word
statements.
Sensitive periods for learning language vary across different language systems. Late second-
language learners—both adolescents and adults—learn vocabulary easier than new sounds or
grammar.
Learning a new language as an adult may increase one’s cognitive skills in general.
Box Features in This Chapter
Psychology in Our World: Help Wanted: Critical and Creative Thinkers
Intersection: Language, Culture, and Cognition: How Does Language Shape Answers to the
Question “Where?”
Challenge Your Thinking: Is Intelligence Related to Prejudice and Political Beliefs?

Do It!
Divergent and Convergent Thinking (p. 254)
Culture fair IQ Test (p. 259)
Intelligence Tests (p. 261)

Connections: Tools for Success—A Safety Net for Students and Instructors
Take advantage of all the other teaching tools available for this chapter.

Student Ancillaries:
Student Study Guide and Online Learning Center quizzes can be found at
www.mhhe.com/kingep2e
Psych 2.0 –This is a password-protected site. Students can purchase the access code directly
or it may be included (for a fee) with a new textbook. See your Sales Representative for
details.

There are seven interactivities appropriate for use with this chapter:
• Thinking and Reasoning: Centenarians. This video profiles a hundred-year-old man
with a remarkably sharp mind and presents an overview of the “use it or lose it” theory in
regard to cognition.
• Heuristics. This interactivity presents student with two lists of 30 names each,
demonstrating the availability heuristic by giving more names of famous males and females
in each list. The availability heuristic is defined and described as a way of affecting people’s
judgment about everyday decisions.
• Gardner’s Multiple Intelligence Theory. This interactivity introduces the concept of
Gardner’s multiple intelligence, in contrast with other existing views of intelligence. Each of
the eight different types of intelligence is defined. The interactivity helps students determine
their relative interests and abilities for each of the intelligences.
• IQ Tests: Are They Accurate Measures of Intelligence? In two videos, Dr. Ceci
describes some of the problems associated with an overreliance on standardized tests as
measures of intelligence, provides reasons why these tests are relied on so heavily, and
suggests alternative ways that we might use to measure human intelligence.
• Group Differences in IQ. Links to an APA task-force report, commissioned following
publication of The Bell Curve, provide an excellent review of the scientific literature on
intelligence.
• Mental Retardation: Down Syndrome. This resource provides links to information
about Down syndrome from the National Down Syndrome Society.
• Language Development. Eight short video clips of infants, toddlers, and young children
display different levels of language ability.

Instructor Ancillaries:
Text:

Opportunities for Thinking

These opportunities can be found in the text on pp. 245, 247, 248, 249, 253, 263,265, 268,
270, and 274. .

Other in-text features can also function as discussion or assignment topics:

Intersection: “Language, Culture, and Cognition: How Does Language Shape Answers to the
Question “Where”? on p. 269
Psychology in Our World: “Help Wanted: Critical and Creative Thinkers” on p. 255
Challenge Your Thinking: “Is Intelligence Related to Prejudice and Political Beliefs?” on pp.
262-263.

Test Bank: The test bank for Chapter Seven includes answers and page references.
PowerPoint Presentation: The PowerPoint presentation for Chapter Seven includes 32 slides
covering information on thinking, language, and intelligence, 7 figure slides, and 3 chapter
summary slides. There are activities and demonstrations in the Notes section of slides 17 and
19.
Concept-Based Dynamic PowerPoint Presentations: Concepts covered for Chapter Seven are
Language, Cognition, Intelligence, Assessing Intelligence, and Theories of Intelligence.
Teaching the Chapter
Learning Goal One: The Cognitive Revolution in Psychology

1. The Cognitive Revolution in Psychology (p. 243)

Cognition
Artificial Intelligence

Lecture/Discussion Suggestions

Goal Reinforcement Activities—Goal One: The Cognitive Revolution in Psychology

Artificial Intelligence. Show the film Artificial Intelligence in class. After watching the
movie, discuss the concept of artificial intelligence. Break the class into groups and have
them discuss whether computers could really replace all human intelligence. In addition,
have the students compare and contrast artificial intelligence to that of human intelligence.

Computers: Notice that in many movies, Computers are portrayed as scary (HAL in 2001: A
Space Odyssey and WALL-E). Ask students why they think that computers are portrayed as
scary? Ask for other examples of films where this occurs.

Apply it! (p. 245) Have students complete the Apply it! Next, have them justify their answer.
This can be homework (as they read the chapter), a quiz in class, class discussion, or an
essay.

Learning Goal Two: Thinking

2. Thinking (p. 245)
A. Concepts
Concepts
Prototype Model
B. Problem Solving
• Following the Steps in Problem Solving
Find and Frame the Problem
Develop Good Problem-Solving Strategies
Evaluate Solutions
Rethink and Redefine Problems and Solutions Over Time
• An Obstacle to Problem Solving: Becoming Fixated
Fixation
Functional fixedness
C. Reasoning and Decision Making
• Reasoning
Inductive Reasoning
Deductive Reasoning
• Decision Making
New Directions in Research: Decision Making Without Awareness
• Two Systems of Reasoning and Decision Making
Biases and Heuristics
Confirmation Bias
Hindsight Bias
Availability Heuristic
Base Rate Fallacy
Representative Heuristic
D. Thinking Critically and Creatively
• Critical Thinking
Mindfulness
Open-mindedness
• Creative Thinking
Divergent Thinking
Convergent Thinking
Characteristics of Creative Thinkers:
Flexibility
Inner Motivation
Willingness to Face Risk
Objective Evaluation of work

Lecture/Discussion Suggestions

Goal Reinforcement Activities— Goal Two: Thinking

Problem Solving. Use “Activity Handout 7.1: Solve This Problem” as a way for students to
understand and experience the steps involved in problem solving. Students will choose from
a list of problems and then use the steps discussed in this chapter to find a solution to the
problem.

Decision Making. Discuss decision making, especially the areas of decision making without
awareness, plus confirmation bias and hindsight bias. Have the students come up with an
example from their own lives where these three concepts have played a part. Have them write
down and explain the example. Next, break the class into groups and have them discuss and
share their examples with the other students in the group. The students will gain a better
understanding of decision making when they come up with their own examples and will
increase their knowledge from the other students in their group by hearing their examples.

Do It! Have students take ten minutes to jot down all the uses for a cardboard box. Include
every possibility that the student can think of – even if it seems unreasonable. Explain that
this list is divergent thinking. Next, have students look the list over and have them determine
which of the possible uses are most unusual or most likely to be worthwhile. Explain that this
is convergent thinking.

Creative Thinking. Use “Activity Handout 7.2: How Do You Think This Invention Came
About?” This activity has students think of an invention and then explain how it might have
come about, by using the steps for creative thinking discussed in this chapter.

Challenge Your Thinking. Have students brainstorm what present day inconveniences
could new inventions solve. Discuss their ideas in class. Next, ask students to determine what
thought processes let to the invention of Nike shoes and the Walkman. Discuss their ideas in
class. Now, ask students to share their worst idea they had lately. What made it seem like a
good idea? What made it a bad idea? Discuss these in-class. Lastly, ask students to share
what it was like to think about the two questions. These can also be used as a small group
activity, share-pair dyad or a homework essay.

Apply it! (p. 255) Have students complete the Apply it! Next, have them justify their answer.
This can be homework (as they read the chapter), a quiz in class, class discussion, or an
essay.

Learning Goal Three: Intelligence

3. Intelligence (p. 255)

A. Measuring Intelligence
Validity
Reliability
Standardization
• IQ Tests
Mental Age
Chronological Age
IQ
Normal Distribution
• Cultural Bias in Testing
Culturally Fair Tests
B. Genetic and Environmental Influences on Intelligence
Heritability
The Flynn Effect
Nature vs. Nurture
C. Extremes of Intelligence
• Giftedness
• Intellectual Disability
D. Theories of Multiple Intelligences
• Sternberg’s Triarchic Theory and Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences
Triarchic Theory of Intelligence
Gardner’s Eight Frames of Mind
• Evaluating the Approaches of Multiple-Intelligences

Lecture/Discussion Suggestions

Goal Reinforcement Activities— Goal Three: Intelligence

Cultural Bias in IQ Testing: Have students do a search on the Internet for cultural bias in
intelligence testing and then write a short paper on the information they find. The students
should discuss the pros (if any) and cons of cultural bias in intelligence testing. The next day,
break the class into groups and have them develop a 10-question quiz using what they think
would be culturally biased questions.

Nature vs. Nurture: Discuss with the class the differences between nature and nurture and
highlight how these ideas are very controversial in the area of intelligence. Break the students
into groups and have them randomly draw pieces of paper with the words nature or nurture
on them. Each group must then develop a debate strategy for arguing either for a nature
influence or a nurture influence on intelligence. The following week, have the groups debate
both sides as a presentation.

Theories of Intelligence: Use “Activity Handout 7.3: Which Type of Intelligence Is It?” In
this activity, the students will read through examples of various types of intelligences and
properly categorize them. They will gain an understanding of the various types of
intelligence an individual may have.

Intelligence Testing: Students are to visit the following website: http://www.iqtest.com.

Have them take an IQ test. Then have them find another IQ Test site of their choosing. Have
them take the IQ test once again. Next, have them write an essay comparing and contrasting
the two tests. Have them include information concerning standardization, reliability and
validity (if available and if not, why they think it is not available). Finally, if the student got
two different scores, explain what could account for the difference.

Education: This activity should make for a lively debate in class. Have students bring two
good sources of research to support their views on the following: Should resources be spent
mostly to bring everyone up to a level of proficiency or should public schools focus on
enhancing the education of those who are gifted? How much money would you be willing to
pay in taxes every year to accomplish both?

Intelligence: In an essay, have students compare and contrast the difference between “book
smart” and “people smart” and include what kinds of intelligence each shows. Discuss their
ideas in class.

Are You Smarter: Video tape a segment or two of the television program, “Are You
Smarter than A 5th Grader?” Show it to the class. Facilitate a class discussion comparing and
contrasting the intelligence and ability to answer the questions correctly of the adult and
child.

Apply it! (p. 266) Have students complete the Apply it! Next, have them justify their answer.
This can be homework (as they read the chapter), a quiz in class, class discussion, or an
essay.

Learning Goal Four: Language

4. Language (p. 266)

A. The Basic Properties of Language
• Infinite Generativity
Phonology
Morphology
Syntax
Semantics
Pragmatics
B. Language and Cognition
• The Role of Language in Cognition
• The Role of Cognition in Language
C. Biological and Environmental Influences on Language
• Biological Influences
Language Universals
Language and the Brain
• Environmental Influences
• Language Development over the Life Span
Babbling

Lecture/Discussion Suggestions

Goal Reinforcement Activities—Goal Four: Language

Structure of Language. Use “Activity Handout 7.4: The Structure of Language” as a way
for the students to come up with their own examples of the various structures of language
discussed in this chapter. The students will gain more knowledge of the various structures
that make up a language.
Biological and Environmental Influences on Language. Discuss with the class the
differences between nature and nurture and how these ideas are very controversial in the area
of the development of language. Break the students into groups and have them randomly
draw the “words” on pieces of paper. Each group must then develop a debate strategy for
arguing either for a biological influence or an environmental influence on the development of
language. The following week, have the groups debate both sides as a presentation.

Language and Education. Have the students do a literature search on the Internet on both
the whole-language approach and the phonics approach. Have them write a two- to four-page
paper on the differences between the approaches.

Apply it! (p. 275) Have students complete the Apply it! Next, have them justify their answer.
This can be homework (as they read the chapter), a quiz in class, class discussion, or an
essay.

Critical Thinking Questions

• Is there really such a strict distinction as biological influence or environmental influence

when it comes to areas like intelligence and language, or is a combination of the two more
feasible?
• Discuss how culture plays a role in language development.
• Discuss and give examples of how a cultural bias can influence intelligence testing.
• Compare and contrast the coping strategies of problem-focused coping, emotion-focused
coping, approach coping, and avoidant coping.
• Give some examples of how intelligence is defined in various cultures.
• Do males and females use language differently and why?
• Why are gender differences so fascinating to people?
• Explain why some people talk a lot and others are quieter.

Readings, Videos, and Web Site Suggestions

Readings
Herrnstien, R. J., and Murray, C. The Bell Curve: Intelligence and Class Structure in
American Life. New York: Free Press, 1994.
Russell, S., and Norvig, P. Artificial Intelligence: A Modern Approach. 2nd ed. Upper Saddle
River, N.J.: Prentice Hall, 2003.
Sternberg, R. J. The Triarchic Mind: A New Theory of Human Intelligence. New York:
Penguin, 1986.

Videos
Discovering Psychology, Part 6: Language Development. Annenberg/CPB Collection, 1990.
(30 minutes)
The development and use of language as a means of social communication
Discovering Psychology, Part 10: Cognitive Processes. Annenberg/CPB Collection, 1990.
(30 minutes)
The higher mental processes, such as problem solving, reasoning, and planning
Discovering Psychology, Part 11: Judgment and Decision Making. (Annenberg/CPB
Collection, 1990. (30 minutes)
The processes by which individuals make judgments and decisions through an examination
of risk taking and negotiation
The Mind: Language. Insight Media1998. (58 minutes)
A look at various theories of the evolution of language. Also demonstrates the innate,
universal drive to communicate through studies with babies, and investigates historical
records for clues to the development of modern speech.
The Mind. 2nd ed. Teaching module #4, “Cognition and the immune system: mind body
interaction.” Video File, 1999. Video posted to
http://www.learner.org/resources/series150.html
How thinking affects mind–body connections and the immune system
The Mind. 2nd ed. Teaching module #8, “Language processing in the brain.” Video File,
1999. Video posted to http://www.learner.org/resources/series150.html
Infant speech development
The Mind. 2nd ed. Teaching module #23, “Infant speech sound discrimination.” Video File,
1999. Video posted to http://www.learner.org/resources/series150.html
Infant speech development
The Mind. 2nd ed. Teaching module #24, “Language predisposition.” Video File, 1999.
Video posted to http://www.learner.org/resources/series150.html
Human sound recognition abilities
The Mind. 2nd ed. Teaching module #25, “Human language: Signed and spoken.” Video
File, 1999. Video posted to http://www.learner.org/resources/series150.html
Language acquisition, formation, and the nature of language
The Mind. 2nd ed. Teaching module #27, “Animal language.” Video File, 1999. Video
posted to http://www.learner.org/resources/series150.html
Communication and linguistic abilities in animals
The Mind. 2nd ed. Teaching module #28, “Language and culture.” Video File, 1999. Video
posted to http://www.learner.org/resources/series150.html
How language and culture interact
Vannato, Frank, J.; Bennett, Thomas, L.; and Butler, Michelle. The Brain. Teaching module
#4, “Intelligence and culture.” Video File, 1997. Video posted to
http://www.learner.org/resources/series142.html
Cultural bias testing
Vannato, Frank, J., et al. The Brain. Teaching module #6, “Language and speech: Broca’s
and Wernicke’s areas.” Video File, 1997. Video posted to
http://www.learner.org/resources/series142.html
Language and brain processes
Vannato, Frank, J., et al. The Brain. Teaching module #19, “Alzheimer’s Disease.” Video
File, 1997. Video posted to http://www.learner.org/resources/series142.html
Alzheimer’s disease and the brain
Thinking and Language. (2006). Insight Media, 30 minutes.
Principles of Language and a case study of a young person who did not acquire language.
The Day We Learned to Think: The Evolution of Language and Cognition. (2003) Insight
Media, 50 minutes.
The origin of language
The Search for Intelligence: Intelligence: (2006) Insight Media, 30 minutes.
Theories of intelligence and its relationship to nature and nurture
Intelligence and Creativity. (2001) Insight Media, 30 minutes.
Multiple intelligences, the history of intelligence testing
Introduction to Critical Thinking (2008) Insight Media, 25 minutes.
Learning to think critically
Critical Thinking: Analyzing Problems and Decision Making (2008) Insight Media, 29
minutes.
Exploring the problem solving process

Web Sites

http://www.learningstrategies.com/forum/postlist.php?Cat=0&Board=UBB1
This Web site, under the Learning Strategies homepage, is a discussion forum looking at the
genius code.

http://www.sjdm.org/
The homepage for the Society for Judgment and Decision Making.

http://wilderdom.com/personality/L2-2SternbergTriarchicTheory.html
Sternberg’s triarchic theory of intelligence.

http://www.childdevelopmentinfo.com/development/language_development.shtml
The various stages that individuals go through in language development. Also a variety of
links to other Web sites discussing language development in children.

http://www.spannj.org/BasicRights/appendix_b.htm
Includes a printable multiple intelligence test, scoring mechanism, and explanations.

http://cmap.ihmc.us/conceptmap.html
A free download of software that makes concept maps; a great way to organize
information—and easy to use.

http://www.criticalthinking.org/
The home page of the Foundation and Center for Critical Thinking.

http://www.mentalfloss.com
“Daily flossings” or thinking opportunities

http://www.merlot.org/merlot/index.htm
A host of activities for learning.

Activity Handouts
Activity Handout 7.1
Solve This Problem

Choose any two from the list of problem scenarios below. Using the steps involved in
problem solving that were discussed in this chapter, describe how you would go about
solving this problem.
1. Mrs. Smith’s daycare provider is closing in four weeks. Both Mr. and Mrs. Smith work
full-time during the day and need daycare for their child. They have only a short period of
time however, to find a new, safe, and reliable daycare provider.
2. Tim is planning a summer vacation for his family of five to Disney World in Florida. He
lives in Pennsylvania and is trying to figure out whether it could be more cost effective to
drive to Florida or to fly there.
3. Sarah has a 20-page paper due in six weeks and has not yet started to work on it. She is
feeling overwhelmed, because she works a full-time job during the day and has to look after
three children at home in the evening. She knows she should started working soon on the
paper but is not sure where to begin.
4. Mr. Jones’s parents are growing older and are finding that they can no longer live in their
big three-bedroom house. They want to sell their home and move to either a smaller house, a
retirement community, or an assisted-living facility. Mr. and Mrs. Jones said they would help
his parents find an appropriate place to live but are not sure where to begin.
5. Sally found out through a friend that her current boyfriend has been cheating on her with
another woman. She is very distraught and is not sure what to do about the situation.

Activity Handout 7.2

How Do You Think This Invention Came About?

Think of an invention such as television, the electric razor, the toaster, or the blender, and
describe how you think this invention came about. Discuss the various steps involved in
creative thinking that were outlined in this chapter.

Activity Handout 7.3

Which Type of Intelligence Is It?

Read through the scenarios below and identify what type of intelligence—analytical,
creative, practical, verbal, mathematical, spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, musical, interpersonal,
intrapersonal, or naturalist—you think the individual has.
1. John spent years trying to come up with a solution for how to water a Christmas tree
without having to do it himself every day.
Type of Intelligence:

2. Susan has always been interested in building things. At a young age, she built model
airplanes with great enthusiasm. She went to college and graduate school and earned a degree
in architecture. She is now the CEO of her own architectural firm.
Type of Intelligence:
3. Jim started taking ballroom dancing classes as a child. He became the Younger U.S.
Champion at age 12, has continued dancing, and is now competing for the World Champion
title.
Type of Intelligence:

4. Lee Ann Rimes earned her first Academy of Country Music Award at the young age of 12.
She has sold millions of albums and continues to hit the charts with top-selling records.
Type of Intelligence:

5. Cecil wrote his first novel at the age of 16 and, just recently, his third novel made the New
York Times best-seller list.
Type of Intelligence:

6. Jane has always loved working through math problems and excelled in her math
classes. She can work through Sudoku puzzles in little time and finds math very
challenging. She is the senior accountant at her accounting firm.
Type of Intelligence:

7. Jeremy has always had a green thumb. He grew up on a tree farm and learned about plants
and flowers at a young age. He went on to earn a graduate degree in the agricultural sciences
and recently found a way to cross-pollinate watermelons with cantaloupes to make a
delicious new fruit.

Activity Handout 7.4

The Structure of Language

List five examples of structures of language. Use the various language structures discussed in
this chapter.
Activity Handout 7.1

Solve This Problem

Choose from the list of problem scenarios below. Using the steps involved in problem solving
that were discussed in the chapter, describe how you would go about solving this problem.

1. Mrs. Smith’s daycare provider is closing in four weeks. Both Mr. and Mrs. Smith
work full time during the day and need child care for their child. They only have a
short period of time to find a new, safe, and reliable daycare provider.
Subgoaling; break down the task into small pieces.

2. Tim is planning a summer vacation for his family of five to Disney World in Florida.
He lives in Pennsylvania and is trying to figure out whether it could be more cost
effective to drive to Florida or to fly to Florida.
Algorithm; crunch the numbers.

3. Sarah has a 20-page paper due in 6 weeks and she has not yet started to work on the
paper. She is feeling very overwhelmed because she works a full-time job during the
day and has three children at home in the evening. She knows she should get started
soon, but is not sure where to begin.
Subgoaling; break it down.

4. Mr. and Mrs. Jones’ parents are getting older and are finding out they can no longer
live on their own in a big, 3-bedroom house. They want to sell their home and either
move to a smaller house, a retirement community, or an assisted-living community.
Mr. and Mrs. Jones said they would help their parents find the appropriate place to
live, but they are not sure where to begin.
Apply heuristics to develop a short list, then apply an algorithm to
determine best solution.

5. Sally found out through a friend that her current boyfriend has been cheating on her
with another woman. She is very distraught and is not sure what to do about the
situation.
Decision making; evaluate alternatives.
Activity Handout 7.2

How Do You Think This Invention Came About?

Think of an invention such as television, the electric razor, the toaster, the blender, etc. and then
describe how you think this invention came about. You should discuss the various steps involved
in creative thinking that were discussed in the chapter.

Correct answers should include some of the following key terms/concepts:

divergent thinking
flexible and playful thinking
brainstorming
inspiration
risk taking

© 2013 by McGraw-Hill Education. This is proprietary material solely for authorized instructor use. Not authorized for sale or distribution in any
manner. This document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.
Activity Handout 7.3

Which Type of Intelligence Is It?

Read through the scenarios below and then identify what type of intelligence (analytical,
creative, practical, verbal, mathematical, spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, musical, interpersonal,
intrapersonal, or naturalist) you think the individual has.

1. John spent years trying to come up with a solution to how to water a Christmas tree
without having to water it himself everyday.
TYPE OF INTELLIGENCE: creative

2. Susan has always been interested in building things. At a young age, she built model
airplanes with great enthusiasm. She went to college and graduate school and earned a
degree in architecture. She is now the CEO of her own architectural firm.
TYPE OF INTELLIGENCE: creative, spatial, analytical, and/or practical

3. Jim started taking ballroom dancing classes as a child. He became the Younger U.S.
Champion at age 12, has continued dancing, and is now competing for the World
Champion title.
TYPE OF INTELLIGENCE: bodily-kinesthetic

4. Lee Ann Rimes earned her first Academy of Country Music Award at the young age of
12. She has sold millions of albums and continues to hit the charts with top-selling
records.
TYPE OF INTELLIGENCE: musical

5. Cecil wrote his first novel at the age of 16 and, just recently, his third novel made the
New York Times Best Seller list.
TYPE OF INTELLIGENCE: verbal and/or creative

6. Jane has always loved working through math problems and excelled in school in her math
classes. She can work through Sudoku puzzles in little time and finds math very
challenging. She is the senior accountant at her accounting firm.
TYPE OF INTELLIGENCE: analytical and/or mathematical

7. Jeremy has always had a green thumb. He grew up on a tree farm and learned at a young
age about plants and flowers. He went on to earn a graduate degree in agricultural
sciences and recently found a way to cross-pollinate watermelons with cantaloupes to
make a delicious new fruit.
TYPE OF INTELLIGENCE: naturalist, creative, and/or analytical

© 2013 by McGraw-Hill Education. This is proprietary material solely for authorized instructor use. Not authorized for sale or distribution in any
manner. This document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.
Activity Handout 7.4

The Structure of Language

List five examples of structures of language. Make sure you use the various language structures
that were discussed in the chapter.

Correct answers should include some of the following concepts:

Phonology: basic sounds or phonemes
Morphology: rules for word formation; morphemes
Syntax: rules for combining words
Semantics: meaning of words.

© 2013 by McGraw-Hill Education. This is proprietary material solely for authorized instructor use. Not authorized for sale or distribution in any
manner. This document may not be copied, scanned, duplicated, forwarded, distributed, or posted on a website, in whole or part.