Approaches - Cognitive Approach Flashcards
What are the key assumptions of the cognitive approach?
The cognitive approach argues that internal mental processes can, and should, be studied scientifically. Unlike the behaviourist approach, it focuses on areas such as memory, perception, and thinking, which cannot be observed directly. Instead, these processes are studied indirectly by making inferences about what is going on in people’s minds based on their behaviour.
How are theoretical models used in the cognitive approach?
Theoretical models, such as the information processing approach, suggest that information flows through the cognitive system in a sequence of stages: input, storage, and retrieval. An example is the multi-store model. Models like these often compare the mind to a computer by suggesting similarities in how information is processed, using concepts like coding, storage, and the use of stores to hold information. These models have contributed to the development of artificial intelligence.
What is the role of schema in cognitive processing?
A schema is a mental framework of beliefs and expectations developed through experience, acting as a mental shortcut for interpreting information. For example, having a schema for a chair helps identify one quickly and sit down. Schemas allow people to respond appropriately in situations, but they may also distort interpretations of sensory information, leading to perceptual errors.
What is cognitive neuroscience, and how has it developed?
Cognitive neuroscience is the scientific study of the influence of brain structures on mental processes. Mapping brain areas to cognitive functions has roots in psychology dating back to the 1860s, such as Broca’s area for speech production. Advances in brain imaging techniques like fMRI and PET scans allow scientists to observe and describe the neurological basis of mental processes. For example, episodic and semantic memory were shown to reside on opposite sides of the prefrontal cortex. Techniques have also been used to study disorders like OCD and the role of the parahippocampal gyrus in processing unpleasant emotions.
What is one evaluation point for the cognitive approach regarding its methods?
The cognitive approach employs highly controlled and rigorous methods of study to infer cognitive processes, including the use of lab experiments to produce reliable and objective data. The emergence of cognitive neuroscience has furthered this by combining biology and psychology, establishing a credible scientific basis.
What is one evaluation point for the cognitive approach regarding its limitations?
Machine reductionism is a limitation of the cognitive approach. While it compares the human mind to a computer, this analogy ignores the influence of emotion and motivation on cognitive processes, which can affect the ability to process information. For instance, studies have shown that anxiety impacts eyewitness testimony.
What is one evaluation point for the cognitive approach regarding its real-world applications?
The cognitive approach has practical applications in many fields, such as artificial intelligence, improving eyewitness testimony, and treating psychological disorders. These contributions demonstrate its relevance in the real world.
What is one evaluation point for the cognitive approach regarding its determinism?
The cognitive approach is founded on soft determinism, recognizing that cognitive processes operate within certain limits but allow for free choice. This contrasts with the hard determinism of the behaviourist approach, offering a more reasonable ‘interactionist’ perspective.
