NATA flashcards

34 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Working memory capacity

The limited number of items (about four chunks) a person can hold and manipulate at once; chunking related items together increases effective capacity.

Mental rotation

The cognitive process of imagining an object turned in space; response time increases linearly with the angle of rotation required.

Field independence

The ability to separate a target figure from its surrounding context, as measured by embedded-figures tasks; field-dependent people are more influenced by context.

Spatial visualization

The mental ability to manipulate, fold, or rotate complex objects in three dimensions, distinct from simple perspective taking.

Means-end analysis

A problem-solving strategy that repeatedly identifies the difference between the current state and the goal and selects an action that reduces it.

Chunking

Grouping separate pieces of information into a single meaningful unit so more total information fits within limited working memory.

Selective attention

Focusing cognitive resources on one stimulus or task while suppressing competing inputs; it is limited and degrades under divided demand.

Pattern completion rule

A sequence rule in which a repeating unit is filled in; check alternation, rotation, addition, and mirroring before assuming a complex rule.

Gestalt law of proximity

Elements placed close together are perceived as a group, so spacing alone can create visual structure without lines or boxes.

Law of closure

The perceptual tendency to complete an incomplete shape, seeing a whole figure even when parts of its outline are missing.

Figure-ground relationship

The perceptual assignment of one region as the object of focus and the other as background; reversible figures show this can flip.

Golden ratio

A proportion of approximately 1.618 to 1, often used in composition because it is perceived as balanced and harmonious.

Rule of thirds

A compositional guideline dividing the frame into a 3×3 grid and placing key elements near the intersections rather than at center.

Complementary colors

Hues opposite each other on the color wheel, such as red and green; pairing them produces maximum contrast and visual vibration.

Analogous colors

Hues adjacent on the color wheel, such as blue, blue-green, and green; they produce a harmonious, low-contrast scheme.

Simultaneous contrast

A color appears different depending on its surround: the same gray looks lighter on dark ground and darker on light ground.

Linear perspective

A depth cue in which parallel lines converge toward a vanishing point on the horizon, and objects shrink proportionally with distance.

Asymmetrical balance

Visual equilibrium achieved with unequal elements, where a large plain area is offset by a small, dense, or high-contrast one.

Modus ponens

A valid inference: if P then Q, and P is true, then Q must be true. It affirms the antecedent.

Modus tollens

A valid inference: if P then Q, and Q is false, then P must be false. It denies the consequent.

Affirming the consequent

An invalid inference: if P then Q, and Q is true, concluding P. Other causes of Q may exist.

Denying the antecedent

An invalid inference: if P then Q, and P is false, concluding Q is false. Q may still follow from another condition.

Contrapositive

The logically equivalent form of a conditional: 'if P then Q' becomes 'if not Q then not P'. It preserves truth value.

Categorical syllogism

A three-term argument with two premises and a conclusion using 'all', 'no', or 'some'; validity depends on form, not content.

Necessary condition

A condition that must be present for an outcome to occur, though it may not be enough on its own to produce it.

Sufficient condition

A condition whose presence guarantees the outcome, though the outcome might also arise through other sufficient conditions.

Correlation and causation

A statistical association between two variables does not establish that one causes the other; reverse causation and common causes are alternatives.

Confirmation bias

The tendency to search for and favor evidence that supports existing beliefs while ignoring or discounting contradictory evidence.

Soundness

A property of arguments: an argument is sound when its logical form is valid and all of its premises are actually true.

Straw man fallacy

Misrepresenting or exaggerating another person's position so it is easier to attack, then refuting the distorted version instead.

Hasty generalization

Drawing a broad conclusion from a sample that is too small or unrepresentative to support it reliably.

Post hoc fallacy

Concluding that A caused B merely because B followed A in time; temporal order alone is not evidence of causation.

Falsifiability

The principle that a claim must in principle be open to disproof by evidence to count as empirically testable.

Base-rate neglect

Ignoring the prior probability of an event when interpreting new evidence, such as a test result, leading to inflated conclusions.