Cognitive Approach Flashcards
What is the cognitive approach?
A theory of mental processes to explain behaviour
What are internal mental processes?
Human thought patterns whuch mediate between the stimulus and response
What are inferences?
Going beyond immediate evidence to make ASSUMPTIONS about mental processes that can NOT be directly observed
In the cognitive approach how is behaviour influenced?
By thoughts that can be conscious/unconscious
How should internal mental processes be studied?
Scientifically and objectively
What do internal mental processes studied by cognitive psychologist include?
-Perception
-Attention
-Memory
-Language
-Thinking
-Problem solving
Why are humans information processors?
Our internal mental processes extract, store and retreive information that helps us guide our behaviour like a COMPUTER
What are models used for in the cognitive approach?
To create testable theories about mental processing and these can be studied scientifically
How are our internal processes studied?
Indirectly using inferences
What can cognitions and biological processes be integrated to?
Cognitive neuroscience
What is a schema?
Mental framework of people, places and things
How do schemas help us?
Organise and interpret information in the brian
How do schemas develop in babies?
Born with simple motor schema such as grasping schema such as shaping hand around an object.
How do schemas develop as we get older?
We have more experience, our schema becomes more detailed and sophisticated
Why are schemas good?
-Process lots of info quickly useful as memory short-cut
-Stops us being overwhelmed by environmental stimuli
Why are schemas bad?
-Exclude info that doesn’t fit our ideas of the world, we develop stereotypes which are difficult to disconfirm even with new info
-Distort our interpretations of sensory info leading to perceptual errors
What is a computer model?
When a computer analogies are used as a representation of human cognition, suggesting that there is similarity in the way information is processed.
What are the 5 assumptions of the computer model?
-Central processing unit
-Coding
-Input
-Stores
-Output
What is the central processing unit in the computer model?
The brain
What is coding in the computer model?
To turn info into a useful format
What is input in the computer model?
Info is coded as neutral connections in the brain are processed.
What are stores in the computer model?
To hold different chunks of info
What is output in the computer model?
Observable behaviour
What is cognitive neuroscience?
The scientific study of the brain/neurological structures, mechanisms, processes, chemistry that are responsible for cognitive processes
How does use of non invasive neuroimaging techniques such as PET and fMRI help psychologists?
Enable them to systematically observe and understand how the brain supports different cognitive activities and emotions by showing what parts of the brain become active on certain tasks.
What are the applications of cognitive neuroscience?
-Use of scanning, imaging techniques to locate types of memory, study mental processes, effects of ageing on brain
-Use of computer stimulations/computational modelling to test theories/hypotheses about mental processes, develop voice recognition
-Eye-tracking to study visual processing
A problem with the cognitive approach is that although it can tell us how cognitive processes take place, it fails to tell us why. What evidence is there to support this?
-Key terms of computer models are borrowed directly from computing
-Humans are very different to computers in the way we process info such as emotions affecting remembering.
A problem with the cognitive approach is that although it can tell us how cognitive processes take place, it fails to tell us why. Why is this a weakness?
-Reductionist due to lack of focus of emotions and motivations
-Difficult to argue the approach is a full explanation of behaviour
The cognitive approach emphasies the scientific approach to studying psychology unlike some of the other aspects. What evidence is there to support this?
-Cognitive neuropsychologists use brain scanners such as EGG’s
-Ask participants to do an activity and the are lights on
-Highly controlled as each person follows same procedure
The cognitive approach emphasies the scientific approach to studying psychology unlike some of the other aspects. Why is this a strength?
-Psychologists are able to produce reliable and objective data
-Study can easily be repeated to see if findings are consistent
The cognitive approach emphasies the scientific approach to studying psychology unlike some of the other aspects. Although this is a strength what might be a problem with this?
-Scientific method is difficult to apply to real world
-Lab behaviour is artifical
-Decreases validity
-Participants are aware they are studied
A problem with the cognitive approach is that many studies, particularly those in cognitive neuroscience, lack ecological validity. What evidence is there to support this?
Experiments in memory use artificial conditions and superficial test which are meaningless in everyday life such as random list of words
A problem with the cognitive approach is that many studies, particularly those in cognitive neuroscience, lack ecological validity. Why is this a weakness?
-Unable to generalise these finding to everyday life as they lack real world application
-Low ecological validity as behaviour doesn’t reflect real life.
A strength of the cognitive approach is that it has been applied in many areas of life. What evidence is there to support this?
Treatments such as CBT aims to change negative thoughts into positive ones.
Changing the internal mental processing of the brain
A strength of the cognitive approach is that it has been applied in many areas of life. Why is this a strength?
-Useful as it suggests there are practical applications of the approach and therefore is worthwhile continuing to fund research in this area
