Aldo is asked to estimate whether more words in a best-selling novel end in "ing" (---ing) or have "n" as the second to last letter (----n-). He rattles off a long list of words for the first category-running, jumping, skiing, climbing, asking, telling, singing, sobbing-but can think of only a much shorter list for the second category-sink, drink, ring. Aldo therefore estimates that words ending in "ing" are more common. In reality, all words that end in "ing" also have "n" as the second-to-last letter, meaning the second group is much larger. What swayed Aldo's decision making?
◦ He used social categorization; "action" verbs are more likely to be used in a best-selling novel.
◦ He was influenced by embodied cognition; he was holding his textbook as he made his decisions.
◦ He was tricked by attributional biases; he assumed most authors would write in a certain style that utilized "ing" endings.
◦ He relied on the availability heuristic; he could more easily recall "ing" endings so he judged it to be more likely.
Functional MRI Scans These scans of human brains show localized average increases in neural activity
Hearing and Reading Words
Syntax Allows Us to Understand Language by the Organization of the Words
Infants can segment adult speech into individual words.
question asked
Children can fast map the meanings of words in a single exposure.