Cognitive Approach

Question 1

What are the three assumptions of the cognitive approach?

Answer 1

-Behaviour can be influenced by internal mental processes
-Behaviour can be explained by schemas
-Behaviour can be explained using the computer analogy ​

Question 2

Explain the ‘behaviour can be influenced by internal mental processes’ assumption.

Answer 2

Humans are information processors. These cognitive processors help us to interpret and respond to the environment appropriately. The order of the processors: attention, memory, perception, language.

Question 3

What is the attention processor?

Answer 3

We pay attention to the object (sensory stimuli).

Question 4

What is the memory processor?

Answer 4

We search through our memory store to see if there is a match with something we have already seen or experienced.

Question 5

What is the perception processor?

Answer 5

The outcome of what we understand the object to be, based on attention and memory.

Question 6

What is the language processor?

Answer 6

We are able to use our language to name it.

Question 7

Explain the ‘behaviour can be explained by schemas’ assumption.

Answer 7

Schemas are organised packets of information in our mind. They expand when we experience new things as we link concepts together. Schemas help us to interpret and react to the environment, and predict what might happen based on past experience.

Question 8

Explain the ‘behaviour can be explained using the computer analogy’ assumption.

Answer 8

Human mind is compared to computer as we take in information the same way: input (take in information), process (store it or change it) and then output (recall information when necessary).

Question 9

Give an example of the computer analogy.

Answer 9

Multi-store model of memory (Atkinson and Shriffin 1968):
Sensory memory –> Short term memory –>Long term memory

Question 10

What is the capacity of each type of memory?

Answer 10

Sensory memory:
Capacity - very large
Duration - up to half a second

Short term memory:
Capacity - 7, +/-2
Duration - up to 30 seconds

Long term memory:
Capacity - unlimited
Duration - up to a lifetime

Question 11

What is the therapy for the cognitive approach?

Answer 11

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)

Question 12

How do the cognitive assumptions apply to CBT?

Answer 12

The cognitive approach suggests that normal behaviours are a result of rational thoughts. An individual’s internal mental processors all work together to form a rational view of the world. Abnormal behaviour is a result of irrational thought patterns. It’s the processing part of the computer analogy where faulty thought patterns are created. The aim of CBT is to challenge these irrational thought patterns.

Question 13

What are the main components of CBT?

Answer 13

1) Dysfunctional thoughts diary
2) Cognitive restructuring
3) Pleasant activity scheduling

Question 14

What is a dysfunctional thoughts diary?

Answer 14

As homework, clients of CBT are required to keep a diary of events leading up to any unpleasant emotions experienced and then record the automatic negative thoughts they have associated with these events. They then have to rank how much they believe in these thoughts (0-100%). Next, the clients have to write a response to the automatic thoughts and then rank their belief in the rational response (1-100%). They the have to re-rate their believe in the irrational thought (1-100%).

Question 15

What is cognitive reconstructing?

Answer 15

When the client has revealed more about their thought patterns to their therapist, they can work together to identify and change the negative thinking patterns. E.g. the client may be worried about something they overheard, assuming that the person was talking about them. The client is taught to challenge these thoughts by asking themselves if there is any evidence to back up the distressed thoughts they have. By challenging these dysfunctional thoughts and replacing them with more constructive ones, clients are able to try out new ways of behaving.

Question 16

What is pleasant activity scheduling?

Answer 16

The client is asked to plan one pleasant activity for each day of the week that they will engage in. It could involve something that gives a sense of accomplishment (e.g. going to the gym) or something that will provide a break from their usual routine (e.g. going out for lunch). By focusing on new things it will distract the client from negative thinking patterns. This is an example of a behavioural activation technique -helping clients change their behaviour.

Question 17

What points can be used to evaluate CBT?

Answer 17

+ve Supporting evidence
Jarrett et al (1999) found that CBT was as effective as some antidepressant drugs when treating 108 patients with severe depression over a 10-week trial. However, Hollon et al (1992) found no difference in CBT when compared with a slightly different kind of antidepressant drug in a sample of 107 patients over a 10-week trial. Suggests that CBT is not superior to all anti-depressants.

-ve Patient blame
Cognitive approach assumes that the client is responsible for their disorder. Due to this, situational factors may be overlooked, such as family problems or life events that the client isn’t in control of. This can cause psychological harm, as client believes that mental state is their own fault.

-ve Therapist competence
The therapist’s competence has an influence on the success of CBT. This includes: ability to structure sessions, ability to plan and review assignments, application of relaxation skills, etc. Kuyken and Tsivrikos (2009) claim that as much as 15% of the variance in outcomes of CBT effectiveness may be attributable to therapist competence.

Question 18

What is the classical research of the cognitive approach?

Answer 18

Loftus and Palmer (1974) The reconstruction of memory.

Question 19

What was the methodology of Loftus and Palmer?

Answer 19

The study consists of two experiments conducted in a laboratory in Washington University using an independent groups design.
-In experiment 1 there were 45 student pps.
-In experiment 2 there were 150 student pps.

Question 20

What are the procedures of Loftus and Palmer experiment 1?

Answer 20

Experiment 1:
Pps were shown seven film clips of different traffic accidents. Length of film clips range from 5-30 seconds. After each clip, pps received a questionnaire, in which they had to give an account of the accident they had they had seen, and they were also asked specific questions about the clip. 5 groups were each given a the same question with a different verb: “About how fast were the cars going when they ___ with each other?”
-Hit
-Smashed
-Collided
-Bumped
-Contacted

Question 21

What were the findings of experiment 1?

Answer 21

The mean speed estimate was calculated for each group.
Smashed - 40.8
Collided - 39.3
Bumped - 38.1
Hit - 34.0
Contacted - 31.8

Question 22

What were the procedures of Loftus & Palmer in experiment 2?

Answer 22

Part 1:
Pps were shown a film of a multiple car crash. The actual accident lasted less than 4 seconds. They were then asked questions, including about the speed. Verbs used were:
-Smashed
-Hit

Part 2:
Pps returned to the psych lab and were asked further questions about the accident.
-“Did you see any broken glass?”
There was no broken glass in the film.

Question 23

What were the findings of experiment 2?

Answer 23

Smashed - 16 people said they saw broken glass, 34 said they didn’t.

Hit - 7 said they saw broken glass, 43 didn’t.

Control - 6 said they saw broken glass, 44 said they didn’t.

Question 24

What were the conclusions of Loftus and Palmer’s research?

Answer 24

Two explanations:
-Response-bias factors: the different speed estimates occur because the critical word (e.g. smashed and hit) influences or biases a person’s response

-The memory representation is altered: the critical word changes a person’s memory so that their perception of the accident is affected.

Question 25

What is the contemporary debate of the cognitive approach?

Answer 25

The reliability of eye-witness testimony.

Question 26

What are the key arguments in the contemporary debate?

Answer 26

-Crimes are emotive experiences
-Weapon focus
-Memory is reconstructive

Question 27

What evidence is in the argument that crimes are emotional experiences?

Answer 27

EWT aren’t reliable:
Crimes they witnessed were unexpected and traumatising. Freud argued that painful memories are forced into the unconscious mind. Because the memory is repressed, EWT won’t be able to recall it properly.

EWT are reliable:
When experiences are emotionally shocking, we create a particularly accurate and long-lasting memory called a flashbulb memory. There is evidence that the hormones associated with emotion, such as adrenaline, may enhance the storage of emotions (Cahill and McGaugh, 1995).

Question 28

What evidence is in the argument of weapon focus?

Answer 28

EWT aren’t reliable:
EWT not reliable because in events with a weapon, it diverts the witness’ attention to the weapon rather than the details of the event. It can cause memory impairments. Loftus et al (1987) found that pps less accurately identified a perpetrator when the perpetrator was holding a gun. As well as this, the group of pps where the perpetrator was holding a gun could provide significantly less information about the event compared to the group where there was no gun.

EWT is reliable:
Yulle and Cutshall (1986) tested the recall of people involved in a robbery with a gun, and all pps were able to recall the event accurately. This is a weak argument, because there is more research to suggest that weapon focus does affect EWT.

Question 29

What evidence is there in the argument that memory is reconstructive?

Answer 29

EWT isn’t reliable:
Loftus and Palmer (1974) found that depending on the verb used to describe a car accident, the way pps recalled the speed and severity of the accident varied drastically. This shows that EW can easily be led and manipulated by the way questions are asked. Schemas may also distort our memory due to the associations we already have with certain ideas. E.g. everyone has a schema of what a stereotypical criminal might look like, which may cause an EW to incorrectly identify a perpetrator.

EWT is reliable:
Memory may be reconstructive, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t reliable. EWT can be vey accurate in real life situations. In many cases, EW know the perpetrator personally and won’t need to refer to their schemas. Yulle and Cutshall tested the recall of pps involved in a shooting in Canada. Months later, all EW gave a correct EWT. If memory was reconstructive, their memory would have been altered over time.