6. Cognitive Approach Flashcards
significance of the change from humanistic approach to cognitive approach
paradigm shift from non-scientific humanism to scientific approach with cognitive psychology due to the rise of the computer age
outline the cognitive approach:
1. assumption
The cognitive approach argues all human behaviour can be explained in terms of internal mental processes such as memory, attention, perception and thinking (areas of study neglected by behaviourists who focused on learned behaviour).
These cognitive processes are ‘private’ and cannot be observed, so cognitive psychologists study them indirectly by making inferences about what is going on in people’s minds on the basis of their behaviour.
For example, trying to understand the structure and function of memory by testing participants’ recall of information and making inferences from this.
INCLUDING:
(2) the use of theoretical and computer models
(3) the role of schema
(4) the emergence of cognitive neuroscience
what is meant by inference
drawing conclusions about the way mental processes operate on the basis of observed behaviour
outline the cognitive approach:
2. the use of theoretical and computer models
One way to study internal mental processes is through the use of
theoretical models.
One important theoretical model is the information processing approach, which suggests that information flows through the cognitive system in a sequence of
stages that include input, storage and retrieval.
One example of this is the Multi-Store Model of memory which models how information flows through three different memory stores.
The cognitive approach also uses computer models, where the mind is
compared to a computer (the ‘computer analogy’).
These models use concepts of a central processing unit (the brain), the concept of coding (to process information into a usable format) and the use of ‘stores’ to hold information.
Such computational models of the mind have proved useful in the development of thinking machines’ or artificial intelligence.
outline the cognitive approach:
3. the role of schema
Another area of study in cognitive psychology is that of schema.
Schema are mental frameworks (or ‘packages’) of ideas and expectations developed through experience.
Using a schema may be useful as they aid the interpretation of incoming information by allowing us to process information more effectively and act as a ‘mental short-cut’, allowing us to ‘fill in the gaps’ in the absence of full information about something.
Because of this, schema’s prevent us from becoming overwhelmed by our environmental stimuli.
For example, we have a schema for a chair - something with legs that you can sit on - that helps us respond to the object appropriately.
Schema’s help us to predict what will happen in our world (based on our previous experiences) as well as enabling us to process vast amounts of information rapidly.
Using a scheme may not be useful as
although they may act as a ‘mental short-cut to enable us to process information efficiently (e.g. by filing in the gaps’ in the absence of full information about something), they can also distort our interpretations of the world.
For example, if we classify a person as ‘old’, we might incorrectly expect them to possess certain (stereotypical) characteristics when this may not accurately reflect that person at all.
Furthermore, using schema’s could cause biased recall, in other words we may recall what we expect to see, rather than what we have actually seen (eg false EWT)
what is meant by schema
Schema are mental frameworks (or ‘packages’) of ideas and expectations developed through experience.
why would using a schema be useful
Using a schema may be useful as they aid the interpretation of incoming information by allowing us to process information more effectively and act as a ‘mental short-cut’, allowing us to ‘fill in the gaps’ in the absence of full information about something.
Because of this, schema’s prevent us from becoming overwhelmed by our environmental stimuli.
For example, we have a schema for a chair - something with legs that you can sit on - that helps us respond to the object appropriately.
Schema’s help us to predict what will happen in our world (based on our previous experiences) as well as enabling us to process vast amounts of information rapidly.
why would using a schema not be useful
Using a scheme may not be useful as
although they may act as a ‘mental short-cut to enable us to process information efficiently (e.g. by filing in the gaps’ in the absence of full information about something), they can also distort our interpretations of the world.
For example, if we classify a person as ‘old’, we might incorrectly expect them to possess certain (stereotypical) characteristics when this may not accurately reflect that person at all.
Furthermore, using schema’s could cause biased recall, in other words we may recall what we expect to see, rather than what we have actually seen (eg false EWT)
outline the cognitive approach:
3. the emergence of cognitive neuroscience
A more recent area of study for cognitive psychologists is cognitive neuroscience.
This is the scientific study of the biological structures and functions that underpin cognitive processes.
Advances in brain imaging techniques such as fMRI and PET scans (which show activity in different areas of the brain) have allowed scientists to systematically observe the neurological basis for mental processes.
For example, Tulving et al used tasks that required the use of episodic and semantic memory to show how these different types of long-term memory were located on opposite sides of the pre-frontal cortex whilst procedural memory is associated with the Cerebellum (involved in controlling fine motor skills).
Evaluate the cognitive approach:
Strengths
P: scientific
E: focuses on observable and measurable behaviour which can be tested in controlled conditions.
E: eg, laboratory experiments have allowed researchers to infer cognitive processes and the emergence of cognitive neuroscience has enabled biology and cogntve psychology to come together
L: supported by empirical evidence
E: ALTHOUGH, may be seen as unscientific as not possible to directly observe processes like memory, so they must be inferred from the ppts behaviour. this inference could be mistaken.
P: practical applications
E: led to the development of therapies such as ‘cognitive behavioural therapy’ (CBT) to treat a range of disorders.
E: March et al (2007) found CBT was just as effective as drugs in treating depression (both effective for 81% of patients). Furthermore, the emergence of cognitive neuroscience is now used the diagnosis of mental disorders, for example brain scans are used to look for damage in patients parahippocampal gyrus which can be indicative of OCD.
L: cognitive neuroscience can be used to benefit individual lives by adding value to them. it has contributed to the treatment of thousand
P: can be seen as less determinist than other approaches
E: does not suggest our behaviour is totally caused by factors outside of our control (i.e. environmental factors) like the behavioural approach, for example, but instead argues we are free to think before responding to a stimulus
E: approach is founded on ‘soft determinism’ which is a ‘middle-ground’ between determinism and free will which many argue is a more reasonable position
Evaluate the cognitive approach:
Limitations
P: largely based on research which lacks ecological validity
E: much of the evidence of processes like memory are based on artificial tasks which do not represent real-life memory use
E: eg, random word or digit lists are mostly meaningless in everyday life
L: the findings may not generalise to real-life, therefore the theory may be based on flawed evidence
E: lowers external valdity
P: reductionist
E: reduces human behaviour down to the level of a computer (borrowing terms such as ‘coding’ and ‘capacity’) - known as machine reductionism - and this ignores the role that human emotion plays
E: eg, eyewitness testimony research has found that human memory may be affected by anxiety
L: approach may be limited and over-simplify complex behaviours which require a more holistic explanation
value of the cognitive approach
- influential in developing CBT; a successful therapy in the treatment of conditions eg phobias, depression (81%)
- influential in helping to develop cognitive neuroscience which is used alongside modern biological technology eg fMRIs and cognitive functioning assessment
- contributed the theory of computer models and schema which is still used today eg in education, artificial intelligence
- brought psychology back to a scientific approach in the 1960s in the paradigm shift from humanism, this is more valid/respected
- influential in developing a scientific way of investigating internal mental processes eg inferencing
- useful in the diagnosis of mental disorders eg damage in the parahippocampal gyrus indicative of OCD
key assumptions of the cognitive approach
- human behaviour can be explained in terms of internal mental processes
- the mind actively processes information from our senses (touch, taste, etc.)
- between stimuli and responses there are complex mental processes which can be studied scientifically
- humans can be seen as data processing systems
- the working of a computer and the human mind are alike - they encode and store information and have outputs (machine reductionism)
