Cognitive

Question 1

Which studies are involved?

Answer 1

Loftus and Palmer
Grant
Moray
Simon and Chabris

Question 2

What does this approach compare the human mind to?

Answer 2

Computers (input- output)

Question 3

What does this approach relate to?

Answer 3

Language, memory, mental processes and attention

Question 4

What does the approach say about behaviour?

Answer 4

That internal processes such as thinking processes, explain how we behave

Question 5

Positives:

Answer 5

Very scientific- most are lab experiments (control of variables and high validity). Grant- pps all given same headphones and instructions- allowed researches to test for cause and affect
Practical applications- Loftus and planer have shown how easily memory can be altered- shows eyewitness testimony should not be relied on and leading questions should not be used

Question 6

Weaknesses:

Answer 6

Reductionist- compares human brain to computer, doenst take into account human emotion or individual differences (or environments)
Most research is in lab- artificial so low ecological validity, can’t be sure that the same results will apply beyond this setting (Loftus and Palmer- watching a clip is not the same as watching a real crash)

Question 7

Similarities between L+P and Grant

Answer 7

• both found memory isn’t always reliable
• both controlled lab experiments
• both ethical
• both used quantitative data
• both used independent measures

Question 8

Differences between L+P and Grant:

Answer 8

• level of control- L+P had set times for clips whereas reading time for Grant differed
• Topic- Grant looked at effects during encoding and retrieval. L+P looked at effects between coding and retrieval