Cognitive Approach

Question 1

What is the cognitive approach?

Answer 1

Focus on how our mental processes impact behaviour.The use of theoretical and computer models to explain and make inferences about mental processes.

Question 2

Why did the cognitive approach come about?

Answer 2

In the 1960s, as a response to the behaviourists’ failure to acknowledge mental processes.

Question 3

Internal mental Processes:

Answer 3

‘Private’ operations of the mind such as perception and attention that mediate between stimulus and response.

Question 4

Schema:

Answer 4

A mental framework of beliefs and expectations that influence cognitive processing, they are developed from experience.

Question 5

Cognitive neuroscience:

Answer 5

The scientific study of biological structures that underpin cognitive processes.

Question 6

Assumptions:

Answer 6

1. Internal mental processes can and should be studied scientifically. Introspection is seen as unscientific.
2. Stimulus and response is appropriate, if the thought processes that occur are acknowledged.
3. The computer analogy. The brain works like a computer, it has an input and output from our senses which it processes and produces an output.

Question 7

Computer and theoretical models:

Answer 7

. They assume the mind operates similarly to a computer by following a logical, fixed sequence of stages.
. This helps them in their interpretation of participants’ behaviour in study.
. Flow chart representation of steps of specific mental processes.

Question 8

The role of the schema:

Answer 8

1. ‘Packages’ of ideas and information developed through experience. A chair-something you can sit on with legs.
2. As we get older, our schema get more complicated.
3. Enables us to process lots of information quickly.
4. May distorts our interpretations.

Question 9

The emergence of cognitive neuroscience:

Answer 9

1. Scientifically identify and examine the neurological structures and chemicals processes are linked to internal mental processes.
2. This has been made possible by advances like PET and fMRI.
3. Damage to an area of the frontal lobe- Broca’s area- can permanently impair speech.

Question 10

What was Bartlett’s hypothesis in the War of the Ghosts Study?

Answer 10

Memory is reconstructive and that people store and retrieve information according to expectations formed by cultural schemata.

Question 11

Method on War of the Ghosts:

Answer 11

1. An experimental design
2. Told 20 English college students an unfamiliar Native American folk story
3. They were then asked to recall it at several different time intervals, ranging from a few hours to years later.

Question 12

War of the Ghosts Findings:

Answer 12

Participants changed the story as they tried to remember it- distortion. There were 3 types that took place:
1. Assimilation- the story became consistent with the participants’ cultural expectations, unconsciously changed to fit British culture.
2. Levelling: the story became shorter with each retelling, omitted unimportant information. From 330 words to 180 words.
3. Sharpening: Changed the order and unfamiliar elements to match their own cultural expectations.

Question 13

Conclusion and Evaluation WotG:

Answer 13

1. Memory is reconstructive and shaped by cultural schemata.
2. Controlled experiment, easy to replicate
3. Practical applications for education.
4. Lacks ecological validity- not how we use memory on a day to day basis.

Question 14

What is the difference between change and inattentional blindness?

Answer 14

Inattentional blindness is when you do not notice a stimulus appearing because you are focused on something else, change blindness is when you don’t notice a stimulus changing.

Question 15

What was the hypothesis in the Simon and Chabris study?

Answer 15

People can be so focused on a specific task that they may fail to notice unexpected events happening in their environment, even if they are obvious.

Question 16

Simon and Chabris Method:

Answer 16

1. 228 participants watched a video of people in black and white passing basketballs.
2. They were asked to count the number of times the time in white passed the ball.
3. During the video, a person dressed in a black gorilla costume walks between the two teams.
4. They were then asked whether they had seen anything unusual. Nearly half of them said no.

Question 17

S&C Findings:

Answer 17

1. 46% inattentional blindness.
2. More participants noticed it in the opaque condition than in transpraents.

Question 18

Pros:

Answer 18

1. Has employed highly controlled and rigorous methods of study, credible scientific basis.
2. Has led to CBT, therapists help clients change negative thought patterns.
3. Soft determinism, our cognitive system can make our own choices.

Question 19

Cons:

Answer 19

1. Artificial situations that people are unlikely to face in real decision.
2. Machine reductionists- ignores the influence of human emotion that make us irrational. Humans memory is flawed and reconstructive- computer are perfect.