Cognitive approach Flashcards
What is behaviour a result of?
Internal mental processes
Assumptions of the cognitive approach:
- What other approach is this approach in direct contrast to? why?
- In direct contrast to behaviourist approach - don’t take into account internal mental processes
- Internal mental processes can, and should, be studied scientifically
- Has investigated areas of human behaviour that were neglected by behaviourists
Examples of internal mental processes?
- These processes are ‘private’ and cannot be observed
- e.g. Memory, perception, thinking
- psychologists must study them indirectly
- By making inferences about what is going on inside people’s minds due to their behaviour
What are schema?
They act as a mental framework for the interpretation of incoming information received by the cognitive system
What is the role of schema?
- Helps to process lots of information quickly
- Acts as a mental shortcut
- prevents us from being overwhelmed by environmental stimuli
What are babies said to be born with?
- A simple motor schema for innate behaviours (e.g. grasping)
What happens to our schema overtime?
- It becomes more detailed and sophisticated
- Adults have developed mental representations for everything
However, what can schema do?
Distort our interpretations of sensory information, leadington to errors
What do cognitive psychologists use to help them understand internal mental processes?
Theoretical & computer models
What is the difference between theoretical models and computer models?
Theoretical models= abstract
Computer models=concerte things (physical)
Example of a theoretical model?
Information-processing model - suggests that information flows through the cognitive system in a sequence of stages (multi-store model)
What have computer models helped with?
Development of ‘thinking machines’ (e.g. AI)
What is cognitive neuroscience?
The scientific study of the influence of brain structures on mental processes
What did Paul Broca identify and how?
How damage to an area of the frontal lobe could permanently impair speech production.
He identified this by brain mapping areas to specific cognitive functions.
Examples of brain imaging techniques
- fMRI scans
-PET scans
What have brain imaging techniques helped with?
- systematically observe and describe the neurological basis of mental processes.
Example: different types of long-term memory being located on opposite sides of the prefrontal cortex
- neurological basis of some mental disorders
EVALUATION: Strength - Uses objective, scientific methods + CA (PEEL)
POINT: Uses objective, scientific methods
EVIDENCE:
- highly controlled & rigorous methods of study (e.g. lab studies)
EXPLAIN:
- produces reliable, objective data
- biology and cognitive psychology come together due to emergence of cognitive neuroscience
LINK: Means that study of the mind has a credible scientific basis
EVALUATION: Strength - Real world application (PEEL)
POINT: Real-world application
EVIDENCE:
- important contribution to field of artificial intelligence (AI) and development of ‘thinking machines’ (robots)
- applied to treatment of depression
- improved reliability of eyewitness testimony
EXPLAIN:
- has practical application
- may revolutionise how we live in the future
LINK: Supports value of cognitive approach
EVALUATION: Limitations - Machine reductionism (PEEL)
POINT: Machine reductionism
EVIDENCE:
- similarities between human mind and operations of ‘thinking machines’ (e.g. computers)
- research shows human memory may be affected by emotional factors such as influence of anxiety on eyewitnesses
EXPLAIN:
- so ignores influence of human emotion on cognitive system
- which may affect our ability to process information
LINK: Machine reductionism may weaken the validity of the cognitive approach
