cognitive approach Flashcards
what is it
The cognitive approach is focused on how our mental processes affect our behavior. It argues that internal mental processes should be studied scientifically.
Developments in computer science how the brain inputs, stores, and retrieves information.
asuumptions
The main assumption of the cognitive approach is that information received from our senses is processed by the brain and that this processing directs how we behave.
These internal mental processes cannot be observed directly, but we can infer what a person is thinking based on how they act.
role of schemas
A schema is a “ packet of information ” or cognitive framework that helps us organize and interpret information. They are based on our previous experience.Schemas help us to interpret incoming information quickly and effectively; this prevents us from being overwhelmed by the vast amount of information we perceive in our environment.
The emergence of neuroscience (AO1)
Cognitive neuroscience is the scientific study of the influence of brain structures on mental processes, done through the use of brain scanning techniques such as fMRI.
Neuroscience aims to find out how brain structures influence the way we process information and map mental cognitive functions to specific areas of the brain. This is done using brain imaging techniques such as fMRI and PET scans.
Examples of brain mapping: Braver et al. (1997) found that when their participants were performing activities involving the central executive while being scanned, the prefrontal cortex showed greater activity. This suggests that the central executive is situated in the prefrontal cortex.
Evaluation (AO3)
The cognitive approach uses a very scientific method, mainly lab experiments. These are controlled and replicable, so the results are reliable; however, they lack ecological validity because of the artificiality of the tasks and environment, so they might not reflect the way people process information in their everyday life.
For example, Baddeley (1966) used lists of words to find out the encoding used by LTM. However, these words had no meaning to the participants, so the way they used their memory in this task was probably very different than they would have done if the words had meaning for them. This is a weakness as the theories might not explain how memory really works outside the laboratory.
The cognitive approach has a wide range of practical applications. For example, schemas can be used to explain how eyewitness memories of events can be distorted and, therefore, inaccurate. The study of memory processes such as cue-dependent forgetting has led to a strategy to improve EWT: cognitive interview.
By highlighting the importance of cognitive processing, the cognitive approach is able to offer an explanation for mental disorders such as depression, where Beck argues that it is the negative schemas we hold about the self, the world, and the future which lead to depression rather than external events.
However, it does not take into account the genetic factors which seem to be involved in mental disorders such as schizophrenia. Furthermore, this approach has led to cognitive behavioral therapy, which is an effective way to deal with depression and, unlike drugs, has no side effects.
The approach is reductionist as it does not take into account emotions and motivation, which influence the processing of information and memory. For example, according to the Yerkes-Dodson law, anxiety can influence our memory.
However, the cognitive approach is less deterministic than the learning approach, as although it argues that our thinking is limited by the way we process information, it does not deny the influence of moral values and social norms.
