Cognitive Approach

Question 1

What are the 3 assumptions of the cognitive approach?

Answer 1

1. Computer analogy
2. Internal mental processes
3. Schemas

Question 2

Describe the computer analogy assumption.

Answer 2

How we take in (input) information, store it (process) and recall it (output). Thus the mind is compared with the hardware of a computer and cognitive processes with a computers software.

Question 3

Describe the internal mental processes assumption.

Answer 3

•Sees humans basically as information processors where essential cognitive processes work together.
(perception, attention, memory & language)
•To determine what something is (e.g dog) we have to pay attention, perceive its features and search through the memory store to find a ‘match’ (in schema) to one we have already seen. Then we are able to name it by knowledge of language.

Question 4

Describe the schemas assumption.

Answer 4

Organised packets of information that are built through experience and stored in our long-term memory.

Question 5

How are schemas made?

Answer 5

Generally made through social exchanges (media/conversations with others) rather than personal interactions. (burglar example)

Question 6

How do schemas explain relationship formation?

Answer 6

Schemas may govern how we feel and act towards others based on what we know about them via other people. Another explanation is that people we find attractive, we will think that they have good qualities. This is the halo effect. (Dion et al 1972)

Question 7

How do internal mental processes explain relationship formation?

Answer 7

Perceptions of ourselves and others are essential in relationship formation. First impressions and memory determine whether we will enter a relationship with someone. If we were hurt in the past, our memory will impact how we remember relationships (hurt) and cause reluctancy.

Question 8

How does the computer analogy apply to CBT?

Answer 8

Believe depression and anxiety stem from faulty/maladaptive thinking. To cure them, thinking patterns must be changed. This is what happens in CBT.

Question 9

How does internal mental processes apply to CBT?

Answer 9

Perception is a main part of internal mental processes. The role of CBT is to change how the patient perceives the world around them (e.g nobody likes me) as it is causing their illness. This is cognitive restructuring. The therapist QUESTIONS THE EVIDENCE that you have for your thought to show you it isn’t reliable.

Question 10

How do schemas apply to CBT?

Answer 10

Depressed people have developed negative schemas about themselves, the world around them and their future. (cognitive triad)

Question 11

What two approaches are combined to make CBT?

Answer 11

Cognitive and behaviourist.
C- identify negative thoughts
B- Encouraged to role play (reality test) with therapist

Question 12

What are the main components of CBT?

Answer 12

• Dysfunctional thought diary
• Cognitive restructuring
• Pleasant activity scheduling

Question 13

Describe the dysfunctional thought diary component. (4)

Answer 13

• ’Homework’
• Record of events leading up to unpleasant emotions.
• Then record negative thoughts associated with these events and rate how much they believe in them.
• Find a rational response and how much they believe in it.
• Finally, clients re-rate their beliefs in automatic thoughts.

Question 14

Describe the cognitive restructuring component of CBT.

Answer 14

Once client has revealed more about their thought patterns to therapist, they work together to identify and change negative thinking patterns.
(therapist questions/challenges evidence on maladaptive belief)

Question 15

What is pleasant activity scheduling?

Answer 15

Technique involving asking client to plan one activity they will engage in per day. This gives sense of accomplishment/break from normal routine.
Purpose is to induce positive emotions and focus on new things to detract from negative. (behavioural activation)

Question 16

What does research support say about the effectiveness of CBT?

Answer 16

Jarrett et al (1999) found CBT was as effective as drug therapy with an antidepressant.
Hollow et al (1992) found no difference in CBT when compared with a slightly different kind of antidepressant. Shows CBT is not superior to antidepressants.

Question 17

Explain therapist competence in effectiveness of CBT.

Answer 17

Ability to:
•Structure sessions
•Plan
•Review assignments
•Application of relaxation skills
•Engage successfully
Kuyken and Tsivrikos (2009) claim there can be 15% variance in CBT effectiveness due to therapist competence.

Question 18

How do individual differences affect the effectiveness of CBT?

Answer 18

• More suitable for some than others.

* Less for those with high levels of irrational beliefs.

Question 19

How does empowerment affect the effectiveness of CBT?

Answer 19

Empowers clients to develop their own coping strategies and recognises they have free will to do this. (not determinist)

Question 20

What is the patient blame ethical issue in CBT?

Answer 20

Assumes patient is responsible for their disorder. Situational factors may then be overlooked. ‘Blaming’ individual for the way they think is not necessarily helpful.

Question 21

Another ethical issue of CBT is the rational/irrational debate. What is this?

Answer 21

• Concerns who judges an irrational thought.
• It is subjective and some that the client may be told to change may not be irrational.
• Can damage self esteem.

Question 22

What is the classic research in this approach?

Answer 22

Loftus and Palmer (1974)

Question 23

What was Loftus and Palmer’s research about?

Answer 23

Concerned with inaccuracy of eyewitness testimonies. (more leading questions can be suggestive)

Question 24

What is the methodology in Loftus and Palmer?

Answer 24

2 experiments: in lab using independent groups design.

1: 45 student participants
2: 150 student participants

Question 25

Describe experiment 1 in the procedure of Loftus and Palmer. (4)

Answer 25

• Shown 7 clips of different traffic accidents. (5-30 secs)
• Questionnaire after each clip.
• 1 ‘critical’ question- “about how fast were the cars going when they ___ eachother?”
• ___ being replaced with: hit, smashed, collided, bumped, contacted.

Question 26

Describe experiment 2 in Loftus and Palmer.

Answer 26

• Investigated whether leading questions is bias or altered memory.
• Shown film of multiple car crash. (actually lasting 4 secs)
• Divided into 3 groups, asked different critical question each time.

Question 27

What were group 1 asked in Loftus and Palmer?

Answer 27

How fast were the cars going when they smashed into eachother?

Question 28

What was group 2 asked in Loftus and Palmer?

Answer 28

How fast were the cars going when they hit eachother?

Question 29

What question were group 3 asked in Loftus and Palmer?

Answer 29

Not exposed to any question as they were a control group.

Question 30

What happened in part 2 of the procedure in Loftus and Palmer?

Answer 30

Participants asked to return and asked further questions.
Critical question they were all asked:
Did you see any broken glass?
(presumably those who thought car was travelling faster would say there was)

Question 31

What were the findings of experiment 1?

Answer 31

Verb & mean speed estimate:
•Smashed- 40.8
•Collided- 39.3
•Bumped- 38.1
•Hit- 34.0
•Contacted- 31.8

Question 32

Explain the findings of part 1 of experiment 2.

Answer 32

Participants gave higher speed estimates/broken glass in ‘smashed’ condition like experiment 1.

Question 33

Explain the findings of experiment 2 part 2.

Answer 33

Smashed condition: almost double ‘saw’ broken glass.

Question 34

What was the conclusion in Loftus & Palmer? (2)

Answer 34

Findings indicate the form of question can systematically affect a witness’s answer.

1. Response-bias factor (critical word influences response)
2. Memory representation altered (critical word changes memory to have perception of more serious accident)

Question 35

Evaluate Loftus & Palmer’s methodology and procedures. (3)

Answer 35

Controlled experiment- confounding variables controlled. -Casual conclusions drawn.
Ecological validity- Not the same as watching a real accident, lacking EV. (Foster et al 1994)
Sample- Participants used were US college students. Not a variety of people.

Question 36

What were the ethical issues & social implications of Loftus and Palmer? (2)

Answer 36

• Lack of valid consent as they were not aware of the aims. Issue is whether deception is acceptable here as behaviour would have been altered if they knew.
• Psychological harm AVOIDED as watching clips of accidents is not distressing. If real accidents were seen, impact may be long lasting as not necessarily diffused by debriefing.

Question 37

Describe the mediational processes strength of the cognitive approach.

Answer 37

Considers the processes occurring between stimulus and response, unlike behaviourist. Explains how important they are and how they affect the way we respond to things.

Question 38

Describe the important contributions strength in the cognitive approach. (3)

Answer 38

CBT widely used in NHS in uk as main therapy route.
Has successful applications.
Applied to field of development in psychology.

Question 39

Describe how a strength of the cognitive approach is that it is scientific. (2)

Answer 39

Lends itself to objective and scientific research. e.g memory research conducted under strict laboratory conditions with brain scanners. (MRI)
Cognitive neuroscience

Question 40

Discuss the weakness of the cognitive approach “nature vs nurture”.

Answer 40

Cognitive DOES consider internal and external factors (processes, schemas) BUT DOES NOT consider role of genes or social/cultural factors.

Question 41

Explain how the cognitive approach is determinist.

Answer 41

People acquire schemas through indirect experience. Piaget (1970) suggests cognitive development is development of schemas.
Young child may call everything fluffy & 4 legged a ‘dog’ but later learns various schemas.
Stereotypes are acquired and may DETERMINE the way we interpret things.

Question 42

Describe the mechanist approach is cognitive psychology.

Answer 42

Portrays human behaviour as a machine. Issues surface about whether a computer could ever perform like a human brain. A computer is not affected by emotions. Environmental stimuli is not changed.
HENCE IGNORES SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL FACTORS.