Cognitive

Question 1

AO1

Answer 1

Cognitive Approach in psychology focuses on how people understand, take in, organise and use information.
- The cognitive approach explains human behaviour as affected mainly by internal mental processes.

Assumptions: (what the app assumes)
- The mind actively processes info from our senses
- Between stimulus and responses are complex mental processes, which can be studied scientifically
- Humans can be seen as data processing systems
Workings of computers and the human minds are alike, they encode and store info and have outputs

Theoretical and computer models: (ways to study internal processes)
- Info processing approach (Theoretical model)
- - Suggests info flows thru a series of stages, these include: input storage and retrieval
- Computer analogy (Computer models)
- - Mind is compared to a computer
- - Suggests similarities in the way info is processed
- - Use of the concepts of: the brain, code and the use of ‘stores’ to hold info
CM: Can develop into AI

The role of the schema:
- Schema are seen as packages of info developed thru experience, they develop, become more sophisticated with age.
- Also, can be seen as internal scripts for how to act or what to expect from a situation

Emergence of cognitive neuroscience:

• Cognitive neuroscience is the scientific study of the influence of brain structures on mental processes.
• Field became prevalent over the latter half of the twentieth century
• Incorporates CNS such as brain scanning to study the impact on cognitive processes

Question 2

Point 1: Strength

Answer 2

Scientific and objective methods
- The cognitive approach has always employed highly controlled + rigorous methods of study
- This has involved the use of lab experiments to produce reliable + objective data.
- In addition, emergence of neuroscience has enabled biology + cognitive psychology to come together
Therefore, the study of the mind has established a credible scientific bias

Question 3

Point 2: Limitation

Answer 3

Machine reductionism
- Although, similarities between human mind and the operations of a computer (inputs, outputs, storage systems, central processor)
Computer analogy has been criticised as machine reductionism ignored the influence of human emotion + motivation on the cognitive system, how this many affect our ability to process information.
Eg. a study has shown that human memory may be affected by emotional factors, such as the influence on anxiety on eyewitness.

Question 4

Point 3: Strength

Answer 4

Real life application
- Cognitive approach is probably the dominant approach in psychology today. It has been applied to wide range of practical + theoretical contexts.
- For example, cognitive psychology has made an important contribution in the field of AI and the development of ‘thinking machines’ (robots) This may revolutionise our future.

Question 5

Point 4: Limitation

Answer 5

Less determinist than other approaches
- The cognitive approach is founded on soft determinism.
- It recognises that our cognitive system can only operate within the limits of what we know, but that we are free to think before responding to a stimulus. **
- This is more reasonable ‘interactionist’ (middle ground) position than the hard determinist suggested by other approaches.