cognitive approach Flashcards
the study of internal mental processes, the role of schema, the use of theoretical and computer models to explain and make inferences about mental processes. The emergence of cognitive neuroscience.
what is the cognitive approach?
study of how our mental processes affect behaviour
cognitive psychologists indirectly make inferences about what is going on inside people’s mind based on behaviour
name a significant cognitive psychologist
Bartlett
assumptions of the cognitive approach
our mental systems have limited capacity
control mechanism oversees all mental processes
two-way flow of information
what are the 3 main research methods used?
lab experiments - scientific, reliable, controlled
field experiments - natural, valid
natural experiments - making observations in a naturally occurring situation
what are internal mental processes?
how information is used (processed) in the mind, including all conscious and unconscious thoughts
typical areas of research for cognitive psychologists are attention, perception and memory
what is a schema
mental frameworks, collections of connected basic knowledge about a concept or object from previous experience with the world
how do schemas work?
work as mental shortcuts
we use them to quickly understand and navigate the world and interact with people and objects so we don’t take too much mental energy to decide how to respond to a range of situations
what are the 3 types of schema?
role schemas
event schemas
self schemas
what are role schemas?
ideas about the behaviour expected from someone in a certain role, setting or situation
what are event schemas
contain information about what happens in a situation
what are self schemas?
contain information about ourselves based on physical characteristics, personality, beliefs and values - can influence how you act and see yourself
research into schemas
Bartlett (1932)
Method: English participants were asked to read a Native American folk tale, called ‘The War of the Ghosts’. It was an unfamiliar story, full of strange and unusual names, ideas and objects. It also had a different structure to an average English story. The participants were asked to recall the story after different lengths of time.
Results: All of the participants changed the story to fit their own schemas. The details in the story became more ‘English’, the story started to contain elements of English culture and details and emotions were added. As the length of time between hearing and recalling the story increased, the amount of information remembered decreased.
Conclusion: People use their own schema’s to help interpret and remember the world around them.
advantages of schemas
+ processing environmental information: schemas allow us to engage with the world without being overwhelmed by sensory information, assigning objects to a schema means we do not have to consciously work out exactly what each object is
+ predict the future: schemas are based on previous experiences so allow us to make assumptions about what objects and people will do in similar situations which are often accurate as others act according to similar schemas
+ Bartlett’s study was highly influential at the time as it paved the way for further cognitive research.
disadvantages of schemas
- leads to inaccurate recall: assumptions due to schemas can influence memory which is a problem for EWT, people may feel they are remembering accurately however their recall has been altered by leading questions
- negative schemas can lead to poor mental health: Beck argues people with depression have faulty schemas that bias their thinking about themselves, others and the future
- can stop people from learning new information: prejudice and stereotypes can be an outcomes as schemas hole expectations or beliefs about certain people which may bias the way we process info
- Bartlett’s study was conducted in a laboratory, so it lacks ecological validity
what models do cognitive psychologists use to explain and make inferences about mental processes
theoretical models
computer models
what is the computer model?
an analogy between the operation of a computer’s central processing unit (CPU) running software programs and the human brain conducting internal mental processes
this comparison suggests both systems receive inputs and generate outputs
the computer and mind both process information through a sequence of programmed steps
what is the theoretical model?
flow chart representations of the steps of a specific mental process e.g. MSM shows how sensory input progresses from STM to LTM
disadvantage of the computer model
criticised for being over simplistic (machine reductionism)
human brain is more complex than a computer
mind is capable of consciousness and emotions, which can lead to irrational behaviours
computers and humans share certain features but the nature of these features are different e.g. memory is flawed and reconstructive whereas computer memory can store and recall information perfectly
advantage of theoretical model
generates testable hypotheses and allows each assumption to be systematically and scientifically tested
if observed behaviour matches model’s predicted - suggests model is valid
if behaviour contradicts model - model can be adjusted or rejected
what is cognitive neuroscience?
aims to scientifically identify and examine the neurological structures and chemical processes in the brain that are linked to internal mental processes
by integrating principles from both cognitive psych and neuroscience, cognitive neuroscience seeks to understand how the brain’s physical and chemical structure influences thoughts, memories, emotions and behaviours
how did cognitive neuroscience emerge?
due to the development of brain scanning techniques, PET and fMRI scanners allow researchers to give participants cognitive tasks and observe activity in different areas of the brain
case study for cognitive neuroscience
Tan had a unique brain injury and could only say ‘tan’ due to speech production issues
an autopsy showed damage to Broca’s area - affects speech production
today, imaging shows that Broca’s area activates in neurotypical brains during language production
this direct observation using scientific and objective tools verifies Broca’s area’s role in speech
research using cognitive neuroscience
Tulving’s PET research revealed specific brain activity patterns for different LTM types (episodic, semantic, procedural)
this supports the idea of multiple, distinct LTM systems each with a unique brain processing system
findings emphasise the complexity of memory and demonstrate how neuroscience can uncover how the brain produces various cognitive functions
strengths of the cognitive approach
+ scientific approach due to highly controlled experiments - conducted in lab setting, with large sample sizes an used standardised materials - high internal validity
+ practical, real-world applications in CBT to improve negative thought patterns and EWTs to prevent wrongful convictions
+ lead to emergence of cognitive neuroscience - aids in creating treatments for language and memory disorders
+ soft determinism - partly determined by biology and environment - suggests thought processes provide personal control over actions
limitations of cognitive approach
- relies on inferences as internal mental processes cannot be directly observed so is less scientific than behaviourism or biological psych - assumptions may be incorrect
- research methods can be artificial and lack external validity - hard to generalise to everyday cognitive tasks and real-life memory usage
