6- cognitive approach (cognitive neuroscience)

Question 1

describe the emergence of cognitive neuroscience

Answer 1

• use of non-invasive brain imaging techniques such as PET and fMRI has helped understand how the brain supports cognitive activities and emotions by showing us brain activity in situations
• can locate types of memory in different brain areas (e.g. episodic=hippocampus, semantic=temporal, procedural= cerebellum)
• more effective treatments for memory disorders
• discover why disorders happen
• have to ignore environmental factors making it hard to judge

Question 2

what is cognitive neuroscience

Answer 2

scientific study of the neurological structures, mechanisms, processes and chemistry which are responsible for our thinking processes

Question 3

positive evaluation of the cognitive approach (4)

Answer 3

+ may applications in psychology (e.g. social cognitions help understand how people form impressions and cognitive errors/biases)
+ used to explain development of faulty negative thinking which helps understanding of depression
+ vast influence on development of therapies (e.g. cognitive behavioural therapy aims to make negative thoughts positive for depression)
+ scientific methods such as lab experiments so high levels of control and cause and effect can be established §

Question 4

negative evaluation of the cognitive approach (2)

Answer 4

• uses computer models(e.g. storage and retrieval are computing words) however humans processing is different as computers don’t make mistakes, ignore info or forget whereas humans do all of these things
• doesn’t tell us WHY cognitive processes take place and role of emotion and motivation is ignored as it isn’t that relevant to computers