Cognitive Approach Flashcards
Memory
The cognitive process used to encode, store, and retrieve information. Consists of sensory memory, STM, and LTM.
Sensory memory store
Function is to detect info and hold it until it is either transferred further into the short term memory store or lost. Info will transfer to STM is greater attention is given.
Short term memory (STM)
Capacity of STM has been established to be 7 units +/- 2 of info. Info will transfer to LTM if you rehearse the info over and over again.
Long term memory (LTM)
Can store large amounts of info for indefinite periods of time. Capacity is unlimited.
Glanzer and Cunitz (1966)
Aim: investigate the serial position effect, the tendency to recall the first and last items on a list better than the items in the middle
Procedure:
- experimental, repeated measures
- army-enlisted men
- series of word lists were read out to participants. After hearing the words, participants would complete each of the following conditions:
1. free recall
2. 10 second filler activity then free recall
3. 30 second filler activity then free recall
- each participant was given 15 lists, 5 for each of the 3 conditions
Findings:
- in the first condition, primacy effect (remembering first words) and recency effect (remembering last words) were observed
- in second condition, primacy effect stayed, but recency effect slightly disappeared
- in the third condition, the recency effect completely disappeared
Conclusion:
- supports multi-store memory model, STM and LTM are separate memory stores, info moves into the LTM if it is rehearsed.
Working memory model
- elaborates on the STM and consists of 4 components:
1. visuospatial (inner eye): holds visual and spatial info
2. phonological loop (inner ear + voice): holds auditory
3. central executive: allocation of resources and attention between visuospatial ad phonological loop
4. episodic buffer: stores info from visuospatial and phonological until needed. Also connects STM to LTM
Robbins et al (1996)
Aim: to see if interference from diff modalities would affect working memory
Procedure:
- chess players of diff playing ability
- in control group, participants were given 10 secs to memorize the set-up of chess pieces on a chessboard and then recreate the setup on a second chessboard. However, in the other conditions, participants had additional tasks:
1. verbal interference with the word “the”
2. visual interference with participant typing on a keyboard with one hand in particular oder
- points were scored for each correctly placed piece + additional bonus points
Findings:
- there was a greater reduction in scores of accurate recall of chess positions when the participants’ visuospatial processing interfered with the keyboard task
- their average score was low, compared to more than half right for the phonological interference, and a bit higher for the control group
Conclusion:
- evidence for the existence of separate working memory systems. If there was 1 system of working memory, you would expect no difference between the groups
Cognitive schemas
Mental representations/constructs that organize our knowledge, beliefs, and expectations. Are derived from prior experiences and knowledge. They help us organize memories, help in recall, guide behaviour, and help predict what will happen next.
- Their proposed function is to save our cognitive energy and make processing info easier but could result in bias
Brewer and Treyens (1981)
Aim: the effect of schema on the formation and retrieval of memories
Procedure:
- participants were told to sit in an office one at a time while the experimenter left to check on the previous participant. While in the office, participants all sat on the same chair with the same view of the office.
- the room consisted of typical office objects and not typical office objects.
- after 30 secs, participants were brought into a new room and asked about the contents of the room in 1 of 3 ways:
1. first group described the contents
2. second group had to draw the contents
3. third group was read a list out loud
Findings:
- participants that were asked to recall either by writing or by drawing were more likely to remember objects associated with their schemas of an office. However, this was often done, including items that were not there.
Conclusion:
- supports the ideas of schemas and their impacts on memory. Specifically how we are more likely to remember items that match our personal schemas.
Thinking
The process of obtaining new info from previously shared info.
Decision making
The cognitive process that always involves choosing between alternatives
Dual processing model
Suggests 2 distinct systems are used when making a decision
System 1 processing
Intuitive and automatic, fast, unconscious, based on experiences. We tend to use this system because we are cognitive misers - wanting to use as little energy as we can to think.
System 2 processing
Rational and controlled, slow, conscious, based on consequences. We use this system in an unfamiliar situation that has higher implications. This forces the person to slow down and consider all info available.
Tversky and Kahneman (1974)
Aim: investigate mental shortcuts in decision making
Procedure:
- participants were given a scenario where they had to decide in which hospital is it more likely to have days in which more than 60% of babies born are boys:
1. a smaller hospital where on average a smaller group of babies are born everyday
2. a larger hospital where a larger number of babies are born each day or about the same
- the correct answer is the smaller hospital according to sampling theory
Findings:
- majority of participants selected the wrong answer, choosing either the bigger hospital or the same
- because the birth rate is 50/50 for boys/girls, they assumed the scenario would also be 50/50
Conclusion:
- participants went with intuition, system 1 thinking, rather than using logic and reasoning to decide the correct answer.
Alter and Oppenheimer (2007)
Aim: investigate how font affects thinking
Procedure:
- university students completed the Cognitive Reflections Test (CRT). The test is made up of 3 questions, and measure whether people use fast thinking or slow thinking to answer a question.
- half the students were given the CRT in an easy font, while the other half were given it in a hard font
Findings:
- among students given the CRT in easy font, the large majority of participants answered at least 1 question incorrectly
- this is in comparison to only a third from the difficult to read font that answered at least 1 incorrectly.
Conclusion:
- when a question is written in difficult font, this causes participants to slow down and engage in more deliberate system 2 thinking, resulting in fewer mistakes.
