Cognitive approach

Question 1

Assumptions of the cognitive approach

Answer 1

-internal mental processes can be studied scientifically
-internal mental processes are studied indirectly by making inferences
-mind works like a computer
-Predominant concept =schema

Question 2

What is inferences?

Answer 2

-the process whereby cognitive psychologists draw conclusions about the way mental processes operate on the basis of observed behaviour
=we assume or infer what they are

Question 3

Ways in which cognitive psychologists can study & make inferences on internal mental processes?

Answer 3

• lab experiments on healthy individuals
  -carrying out experiments on brain damaged patients in order to infer which areas of the brain control certain behaviours
  -using evidence from brain scans to observe brain activity

Question 4

What are cognitive processes often affected by?

Answer 4

schema

Question 5

What are schemas?

Answer 5

mental framework of beliefs and expectations that influence our world around us- developed through experience e.g. thinking about what happens at a restaurant

Question 6

What is a strength of schemas?

Answer 6

• they allow us to take shortcuts when interpreting large amounts of information we have to deal with on a daily basis
  -prevents us from being overwhelmed by environmental stimuli

Question 7

What is a weakness of schemas?

Answer 7

-may distort our interpretations of sensory information leading to perceptual errors

Question 8

What models have psychologists used to help them understand internal mental processes?

Answer 8

theoretic and computer models

Question 9

What is the information processing approach?

Answer 9

-theoretical model
-which suggest information flows through the cognitive system in a sequence of stages (MSM)

Question 10

What are computer models?

Answer 10

-mind is compared to a computer
-like a computer the human mind has an input, processes the information then provides an output
-e.g. input=-sense information
-brain processes
output=behaviour executed

Question 11

What is cognitive neuroscience?

Answer 11

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

Question 12

How does mapping brain areas have a long history in psych?

Answer 12

-Broca identified how damage to an area in the frontal lobe (Broca’s area) could impair speech production
-development of different techniques (fMRIs, EEGs) helped to discover a neurological basis for some mental disorders

Question 13

What is a strength of the cognitive approach?

Answer 13

-uses objective scientific methods
-cognitive psychologist employ highly controlled & rigorous methods of study so they can infer cognitive processes
-involve the use of lab studies to produce reliable objective data
e.g. to assess how much/long information can be held in the STM
-emergence of cognitive neuroscience has enabled two fields to come together= enhance scientific basis

Question 14

Why does the cognitive approach have real-world application?

Answer 14

• has been successfully applied & contributed to our understanding of mental disorders such as depression
• e.g. Becks model of depression where specific patterns of thinking are closely linked to emotional experiences -leading to faulty thinking
  -Insight has led to the development of CBT which has excellent track record for effective treatment
  -Also improving reliability of EWT

Question 15

What is a weakness of the cognitive approach?

Answer 15

-based on machine reductionism
-computer analogy has been criticised as it ignores the influence of human emotion& motivation on the cognitive system & how it may affect ability to process information
-e.g. researchers have found that the human memory may be affected by emotional factors such as anxiety on EWT
-weakens validity