Cognitive Approach

Question 1

what are the key assumptions?

Answer 1

1) internal mental processes can and should be studied scientifically (e.g laboratory studies) introspection is too unscientific.
2) the mind works like a computer (computer analogy)
input > processing > output.
3) Mental processes ( i.e thoughts) that occur between a stimulus and response must be acknowledged.

Question 2

definition of inference

Answer 2

going beyond the immediate evidence to make assumptions about mental processes that cannot be directly observed.

Question 3

what is the study of internal mental processes?

Answer 3

the cognitive approach studies information processing, this means the way in which we deal with information from our environment and experiences.

Question 4

what does the study of internal mental processes include?

Answer 4

this can include selecting information which is called attention, using information to solve problems which is thinking, then storing and retrieving information (memory)

Question 5

definition of schema

Answer 5

a cognitive framework: a collection of ideas ( or a ‘packet of information’) about a person or situation formed through experience.

Question 6

example of how schema might be used

Answer 6

a sofa has 2 or more people and it has cushions and that primary purpose is relaxation.

Question 7

how is schema useful to us?

Answer 7

• it helps us to understand and predict the world around us
• it helps guide our expectations of how to behave in different situations
• it helps us to organise and interpret information in the brain
• it helps us make sense of new information
• it allows us to take shortcuts when interrupting large amounts of information.

Question 8

how might schema lead to distortions in perception or memory?

Answer 8

• it focuses only on what confirms our pre-existing ideas/beliefs (conformation bias)
• fill in gaps of in absence of full information about a person, event and thing

Question 9

what is the aim of the key study Brewer and Tanner (1981?.

Answer 9

the aim is to study the effect of pre-existing schema on memory

Question 10

what is the procedure of the key study?

Answer 10

it is a laboratory experiment.

• participants were shown into a room they believed was the experimenters office and were told to wait for around 30-50 seconds.
• once they had left the office they were asked to write down everything they could remember around the room

Question 11

what were the findings of the key study?

Answer 11

most of the participants remembered the schematic objects ( items that were in keeping with their pre-existing ‘office’ schema e.g typewriter)

• many recalled items that were not in keeping with their ‘office’ schema for example the unexpected items e.g the skull perhaps because its distinctive.
• some participants also recalled things that were not in the room but should have been (e.g books, telephone), these are schematic objects.

Question 12

what is the conclusion of the key study?

Answer 12

• proof that schemas have an affect on the recall of memories.

Question 13

what are positives of the key study?

Answer 13

it is scientific so therefore has

• quantitative data
• standardised procedures
• controlled variables.

Question 14

what are the negatives of the key study?

Answer 14

it has low ecological validity:

• it is a lab experiment
• contrived not a realistic situation.

Question 15

what is the definition of the role of a theoretical model?

Answer 15

simplified representations of a particular mental processes.

Question 16

what form do theoretical models take?

Answer 16

• memory processes

- forming memories

Question 17

what is the definition of the role of computer models?

Answer 17

likens the human mind to a computer i.e the human mind processes information in a similar way to a computer (they encode and store information, and they have outputs).
- it takes an information processing approach

Question 18

example of the computer model:

Answer 18

input —> processing —-> output

Question 19

human description of the computer model:

Answer 19

1) the input comes from the environment via the senses and is encoded into memory (input)
2) the information once encoded can be processed i.e schemas (processing)
3) the behavioural response following the processing (output)

Question 20

human example:

Answer 20

1) Rob sees an elderly lady struggling to reach biscuits in supermarkets and encodes this information (input)
2) he makes a decision from his processing, understanding of the information that she needs help and that she can help her. (processing)
3) he asks the lady if she would like his help, reaches up for the biscuits and gives them to her (output)

Question 21

definition of cognitive neuroscience?

Answer 21

it combines several psychological disciplines, mainly cognitive psychology and neuroscience ( the study of the anatomy and function of the brain)

Question 22

what is the main focus of cognitive neuroscience?

Answer 22

it aims to find a biological basis for mental processes/ cognitive functions

Question 23

what two methods are used for cognitive neuroscience?

Answer 23

PET

fMRI

Question 24

outline PET?

Answer 24

• the scan captures images of activity across the brain after radioactive “tracers” have been absorbed into the blood stream.
• these tracers are typically attache to glucose (sugar) and then injected.
• glucose is the principle fuel of the brain
• active areas of the brain will be utilising the (radioactive) glucose at a higher rate than inactive areas

Question 25

outline fMRI?

Answer 25

a technique of brain scanning that uses a magnetic field and radio signals to monitor blood across the brain
- areas of the brain that are involved in activities done by the person during scanning have a greater blood oxygenation and how, so specific brain areas can be linked to specific abilities.

Question 26

what is the background of the practical application of cognitive neuroscience?

Answer 26

• the hippocampus plays a major role in short-term memory and spatial navigation
• evidence has shown that hippocampus and volume enlarges when demand for spiritual ability is greatest

Question 27

what is the aim of the practical application of the cognitive neuroscience?

Answer 27

to study whether changes could be detected in the brains on London taxi drivers.

Question 28

what is the procedure of the practical application of the cognitive neuroscience?

Answer 28

the researchers compared MRI scans of 16 male London taxi drivers vs 50 no taxi drivers

Question 29

what are the results of the practical application of the cognitive neuroscience?

Answer 29

the hippocampus of the taxi drivers was significantly larger than the non-taxi drivers, indicating that this area of the brain is associated with navigational tasks and skills.
- hippocampus volume correlated positively with the amount of time spent as a taxi driver

Question 30

positives of the practical?

Answer 30

use scientific methods and objective methods

Question 31

negatives of the practical?

Answer 31

continues to progress as technology advances