Cognitive approach

Question 1

Assumptions of the cognitive approach

Answer 1

• In direct contrast to behaviourist approach
• Internal mental processes can, and should, be studied scientifically
• Has investigated areas of human behaviour that were neglected by behaviourists

Question 2

Examples of internal mental processes?

Answer 2

• 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

Question 3

What are schema?

Answer 3

They act as a mental framework for the interpretation of incoming information received by the cognitive system

Question 4

What is the role of schema?

Answer 4

• Helps to process lots of information quickly
• Acts as a mental shortcut
• prevents us from being overwhelmed by environmental stimuli

Question 5

What are babies said to be born with?

Answer 5

• A simple motor schema for innate behaviours (e.g. grasping)

Question 6

What happens to our schema overtime?

Answer 6

• It becomes more detailed and sophisticated
• Adults have developed mental representations for everything

Question 7

However, what can schema do?

Answer 7

Distort our interpretations of sensory information, leadington to errors

Question 8

What do cognitive psychologists use to help them understand internal mental processes?

Answer 8

Theoretical & computer models

Question 9

What is the difference between theoretical models and computer models?

Answer 9

Theoretical models= abstract
Computer models=concerte things (physical)

Question 10

Example of a theoretical model?

Answer 10

Information-processing model - suggests that information flows through the cognitive system in a sequence of stages (multi-store model)

Question 11

What have computer models helped with?

Answer 11

Development of ‘thinking machines’ (e.g. AI)

Question 12

What is cognitive neuroscience?

Answer 12

The scientific study of the influence of brain structures on mental processes

Question 13

What did Paul Broca identify and how?

Answer 13

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.

Question 14

Examples of brain imaging techniques

Answer 14

• fMRI scans
  -PET scans

Question 15

What have brain imaging techniques helped with?

Answer 15

• 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

Question 16

Strengths of the Cognitive approach

Answer 16

Scientific methods
- uses objective, scientific methods
- highly controlled & rigorous methods of study (e.g. lab studies)
- produced reliable, objective data
- biology and cognitive psychology come together due to emergence of cognitive neuroscience

Real-world application
- has practical application
- important contribution to field of artificial intelligence (AI) and development of ‘thinking machines’ (robots)
- may revolutionise how we live in the future
- applied to treatment of depression
- improved reliability of eyewitness testimony

Question 17

Limitations of cognitive approach

Answer 17

CA for scientific methods
- relies on interference of mental processes, rather than direct observation of behaviour
- can be too abstract and theoretical in nature
- research studies of mental processes may use artificial stimuli that may not represent everyday experience
- so research may lack external validity

Machine reductionism
- similarities between human mind and operations of ‘thinking machines’ (e.g. computers)
- so ignores influence of human emotion on cognitive system which may affect our ability to process information
EXAMPLE: research shows human memory may be affected by emotional factors such as influence of anxiety on eyewitnesses
- machine reductionism may weaken the validity of the cognitive approach