Cognitive Approach

Question 1

Developed in?
Alternative to?
Psychologists focused on?
Arguing that?

Answer 1

The cognitive approach was also developed in the 1950s as an alternative to behaviourism.

Cognitive psychologists focus on internal mental processes (such as memory, perception and thinking) and how these direct and affect our behaviour, arguing that this was neglected by behaviourists.

Question 2

Should be studied?

Answer 2

They also believe that this should be studied scientifically (i.e. experimentally and objectively), although cognitive psychologists do recognise that our internal mental processes are ‘private’ and cannot be observed.

Question 3

Study our internal mental processes indirectly by?

Answer 3

Cognitive psychologists study our internal mental processes indirectly by making inferences, which means to draw conclusions about the way our mental processes operate on the basis of observed behaviour.

Question 4

What are internal mental processes?

What 5 are there? PALMT

Answer 4

Interconnected processing systems that allow us to make sense of and respond appropriately to the world.

Perception
Attention
Language
Memory
Thinking

Question 5

What is perception?

Answer 5

The process of taking in and interpreting information from our senses

Question 6

What is attention?

Answer 6

The process by which we focus on a particular source of information rather than others

Question 7

What is language?

Answer 7

The study of communication and thinking in relation to language

Question 8

What is memory?

Answer 8

The process of retaining and recalling information

Question 9

What is thinking?

Answer 9

The process of manipulating information in the mind in order to reason, problem-solve and make decisions

Question 10

What is schema?

Answer 10

Schema are packets of information about the world around us that we store in our long term memory (LTM).

Question 11

What are 4 types of schema?

Answer 11

Object schema
Social schema
Event schema
Role schema

Question 12

How do we develop schema?

Answer 12

Environment
Experiences
Traditions
Communications

Question 13

Our schema allow us to?

However?

Answer 13

Our schema allow us to cognitively process lots of information quickly – they help us make sense of the world by providing us with ‘short cuts’.

However they may distort our cognitive processes

Question 14

Allport and postman (1947)
Aim?
Participants?

Answer 14

Aim:to investigate schemas affect on recall

Participants: black and white Americans

Question 15

Allport and postman (1947)

Method?

Answer 15

Method:
White participants shown picture of an argument with a well-dressed black man and a white man with a razor.
Participants passed the story to each other through serial reproduction.
Repeated with black participants.

Question 16

Allport and postman (1947)

Results?

Answer 16

Result :
White participants: after a few tellings, the black man was the aggressor.
Black participants: the results were more accurate, the white man was still the aggressor.

Question 17

Why do psychologists use theoretical and computer models?

Answer 17

Cognitive psychologists use both theoretical and computer models to help them understand internal mental processes

Question 18

What are theoretical models?

Answer 18

Theoretical models are diagrammatic representations of the steps involved in internal mental processes.

Question 19

What are computer models?

Answer 19

Computer models are software simulations of internal mental processes that are created in collaboration with computer scientists.

Question 20

Alpha go- artificial intelligent

Computer models involve?

Answer 20

Computer models involve programming a computer to see if information processing instructions produce a similar output in computers as humans – if they do then we can suggest that similar processes are going on in the human mind.

Such computer models have proved useful in the development of artificial intelligence such as alpha go.

Question 21

Strengths of cognitive approach?

Answer 21

Applications in the real world.
Scientific, controlled methods.
Uses advanced technology

Question 22

Limitations of the cognitive approach?

Answer 22

Considered reductionist, as it does not provide a full explanation of human behaviour- claims our minds are like computers.
Theories are hard to test because mental processes are hidden from view, and not directly observable.
Laboratory experiments- lowers ecological validity