APPROACHES- Cognitive Flashcards
What does cognition mean?
mental processes
When was this approach developed?
1960s
What are the key areas? of cognitive psychology?
-perception
-language acquisition
-problem-solving
-attention
-facial recognition
What are the main assumptions?
-internal mental processes should be studied scientifically
-they investigate areas of behaviour neglected by behaviourists
-believe that schema are created within the brain based on past experiences and learning directly through our behaviour
-these processes cannot be observed so are studied indirectly by making inferences about human thinking
What are computer models
Information processing in the mind is viewed as being similar to that of a computer (the ‘computer analogy’)
1-Encoding/input
Computer:
-Computers use alphanumeric codes to complete specific actions
Mind:
- interprets environmental stimuli
2-storage
Computer:
-store data on a hard drive
Mind
-stored into long-term memory
3-Output
Computer:
-text, music, images, video
Mind:
speech, behavioural responses, thoughts
What is schema?
Packages of ideas and information developed
through experience
-Acts as a mental framework for the interpretation of incoming information received by the cognitive system
Why are schemas helpful?
Help us to take shortcuts in our thinking
Are we born with schemas?
Yes, basic ones that develop with experience
What is the disadvantage of schemas?
They can lead to faulty conclusions and can distort interpretations of sensory information, leading to perceptual errors
Define inference
The process whereby we draw conclusions about the way mental processes operate in the brain on the basis of observed behaviour
Who conducted the Trigram study in 1959?
Peterson and Peterson
How is cognitive neuroscience used?
To study processes indirectly by making inferences
What is cognitive neuroscience?
The study of the influence of brain structure on mental processes
What did Paul Broco suggest in the 1860s?
Brain damage to the frontal lobe affects how speech is processed
What is FMRI?
-Based on the same technology as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
-Uses strong radio waves
-MRI looks at oragns+tissues, FMRI looks at blood flow and activity in the brain
-Changes in blood flow help to understand how the brain functions
What are PET scans?
-Positron emission tomography
-3D images
-FDG is used (a radiotracer)
-Identifies any abnormalities
What is EEG?
-Recording of brain activity
-Sensors pick up electrical signals
What do these three techniques help us to understand?
Relationships between cognition and neural mechanisms, brain chemistry and brain structure
Give 2 strengths of the cognitive approach
-In comparison to some of the other approaches the cognitive approach has a degree of flexibility
-It is an example of soft determinism compared to the hard determinism of the behaviourist approach
-This means that the cognitive approach does not take a completely rigid view of human behaviour; it acknowledges the existence of free will
-The cognitive approach has good application e.g.
-It has contributed significantly to the development of AI due to its use of theoretical and computer models
-Also used to develop effective teaching strategies, to treat mental disorders such as depression and anxiety, and to improve athletic performance by using mental imagery techniques.
-This is a strength as it highlights the usefulness of the theory
Give 2 limitations of the cognitive approach
Machine reductionist- reduces the brain down to the operations of a computer, tells us how processes take place but not why they happen, ignores the influence of human emotion
-zBrain-imaging technologies are not infallible: Bennet & Miller (2010) reviewed the reliability of fMRI and found that:
-some fMRI machines may be affected by potential errors in calibration
-external factors, such as noise and light can affect the accuracy of the measurement
-researchers themselves can be a source of error depending on how well they handle the equipment
-participants may introduce a source of error: their cognitive state will vary over time, with differences in attention and arousal
-This means that using the test-retest method for checking reliability may not produce similar results to the first time of testing
What does petersonb and peterson study show?
Peterson & Peterson (1959) inferred that short-term memory has a duration of around 18 seconds but they could not prove this
Beck’s cognitive triad infers that depression is based on dysfunctional thought processes but there is no….
Proof of this
What are computer models the basis of?
Artificial intelligence
What has computer modelling highlighted?
how the brain carries out a range of functions e.g. anticipating a reward, planning and problem-solving
What do schemas allow us to do?
predict what may happen and are based on previous experience
What do schemas act as a mental framework for?
for the interpretation of incoming information
Schemas are 1.____ to the individual but many schemas will be 2.____
- unique
- shared
Give an example of how cognitive neuroscience has been used in psychology (linked to bio psych study)
-Maguire et al. (2000) found increased volume of grey matter in the posterior hippocampi of London taxi drivers using MRI technology
-Thus, this part of the brain is localised to spatial navigation
