THINKING,

LANGUAGE
AND INTELLIGENCE
 THINKING

- We scan images stored in our

memory to answer the questions

Have you ever tried a kiwi ?

 THINKING

- Cognitive psychologist (Ulric Neisser, 1967)

examines thinking by investigating on how
+ people solve problems,
+ People make decisions, understand the world,
+People use language and communicate their
thoughts to others…
 How do people think?
* Through images:
- They infer thinking process from the
observable behaviors => find problem-solving
strategies
- Observable behaviors are images
Are images all visualized ?

- Images are not just visual, they can be

auditory (hearing) and olfactory (smell)
 THINKING
Ex:
+ Coffee (1)
+ Faithfulness (2)

Which word is easier to describe ? Why ?

+ Coffee (high imagery words : visual images +

meaning)
+ Faithfulness (low-imagery words: meaning only)
 THINKING

How to apply this theory in daily life

/in BA (training, marketing…)?
 IS THERE ANY OTHER WAY TO STUDY THINKING ?

There are so many cars,

motorbikes, buses, trucks, bikes
cycles, lorries in HCM City.

There are so many vehicles in

HCM City.
Concepts
Using concepts in thinking
 THINKING
What advantages of using
concepts in thinking?

-Reducing load of memory

-Developing ability to
communicate
=> easy communication with
much information
-Allowing to predict the world

Application in providing
training?
Prototype: best examples
(a specific example of a particular concept
that is readily brought to mind; seen as
the most/best instance of a particular
concept)
Sensing new object => compare to the
prototype

Application in training?
 Problem solving methods
-New problems ?
Example: How many ways can the letters “L, O,
E, V, S” be arranged?

How do you reach the answers?

+ Using algorithms:
A systematic procedure (specified set of steps) for
solving a problem which may involve evaluating
all possible solutions (Ashcraft, 2002; Medin et al.,
2000)
 Problem solving methods

+ Usingheuristics approach: educated

guesses or rules of thumb for solving
problems
 Problem solving methods

What are advantages and

disadvantages of using algorithms
and/or heuristics approaches for
problem solving?
 Problem solving methods

+ Algorithm and heuristics can be programmed

into a computer to provide human beings with
problem solving

Example ?

The English grammar checking programmed

into a computer ?
-Rigidity (Functional fixedness) : inability to see
new uses for familiar objects

-Set effect: Depending on prior experience =>

restrict ourselves to certain problem-solving
approaches which may not be the most effective:
bias
- Ex: (Netherlands study)
 What are differences between problem solving and decision
making ?

Role differences between managers and executives ?

PS: process of finding a solution to something that needs to

change or a deviation from what we expect to happen

DM: process of choosing from among alternatives to move

the company up and forward, to change what we have been
doing to support a strategy that promises innovation and
growth.
Example ?
 THINKING AND LANGUAGE
What can you see in the
picture ?

Is it a beautiful vase ?

Can you recognize that two persons

are going to kiss each other?

How have my guiding questions

(language) influenced your
thinking?
 THINKING AND LANGUAGE

I do encourage you to introduce new ideas

There is no way to apply your ridiculous
ideas

My favorite teacher left me forever

My favorite teacher died of cancer

How to apply in daily life/future career ?

 INTELLIGENCE
Intelligence: The cognitive
abilities of an individual to
learn from experience, to
reason well, and to cope with
the demands of daily living
(Lahey, 2002)

-Intelligence is how well a

person is able to use cognition
in coping with world
 INTELLIGENCE
Is intelligence general or
specific abilities?
-Sir Francis Galton (1822-
1911): Intelligence is a
single general factor which
underlies each of our
specific abilities
-Howard Gardner (1983)
introduces seven
independent types of
intelligence
 INTELLIGENCE
Both our heredity and
our experiences
combine to determine
our level of
intelligence (Plomin & 50% – 60% (Plomin et al., 1997;
Petrill, 1997) Snyderman & Rothman, 1987)
 INTELLIGENCE

heredity factors of intelligence

 INTELLIGENCE

experiences factors of intelligence

 How are intelligence scores important in
modern society?

-Many occupations are available only to persons with

college or graduate degrees, high IQ persons tend to
qualify for advanced education => more likely to
complete advanced courses when admitted (Brody, 1997)

-Take less time to train person with higher IQ to a high

level of job performance (Hunt, 1995)
 How are intelligence scores important in
modern society?

-More intelligent individuals tend to perform better in

complex jobs (involved making judgments in
changing situations – Gotfredson, 1997)

-People with higher IQ in nonprofessional jobs => more

likely to be promoted into more complex ones (Wilk,
Desmarais & Sackett, 1995)
 INTELLIGENCE
Are people
becoming more
and more
intelligent? Why
or why not?
 INTELLIGENCE

-Nutrition and health

improvements
-Levels of education
increase
-Decrease of the number
of children per family
-Degree of environmental
complexity