Cognitive Approach Flashcards
Assumptions?
All behaviour is driven by internal mental processes
Example of IMP’s?
Memory
Thinking
Attention
Perception
Is cognition observable?
No it is unobservable- can’t be directly observed- have to make inferences
1st step of the computer model?
Information is transferred (sensory information)- sensory register
2nd step of computer model?
2) information that has been paid attention to is transferred to short-term memory
3rd step of the multi-store model of memory?
If information is rehearsed, it will transfer to long-term memory
What is the 4th step of the multi-store model of memory?
Any information which is not rehearsed will be displaced
What is a schema?
An internal package of ideas which is developed through experience
What do schemas act as?
A mental framework for the interpretation of incoming information received by the cognitive system
What do schemas stop the mind from becoming?
Schemas facilitate the speedy processing of information to stop the mind from becoming overstimulated by environmental stimulation
What may schemas distort?
Out interpretations of sensory information- leading to errors
What affects schemas?
Culture as it shapes experience
What does cognitive neuroscience investigate?
The relationship between cognition and neural mechanisms, brain chemistry and brain structure
What is Broca’s area?
Paul Broca had identified how damage to an area of the frontal lobe could permanently impair speech production
What are fMRI’s and PET scans useful for?
Scientists can systematically observe and describe the neurological basis of mental processes
What research was used to show the use of episodic and semantic memory?
Tulving et al was able to show how episodic and semantic memory (the different types of long-term memory) may be located on opposite sides of the prefrontal cortex
What is the central executive of the brain used for?
In charge of working memory
What are scanning techniques useful to identify?
Establishing the neurological basis of some mental disorders
What part of the brain is linked to OCD?
The parahippocampal gyrus and OCDD
What is brain fingerprinting?
A computer generated model which is designed to read the brain
What could be a future application of brain fingerprinting?
Analyse the brain wave patterns of eyewitness to determine whether they are lying in court
What functions is the frontal lobe responsible for?
Cognitive functions
What is the temporal lobes function?
Speech comprehension
What is the coding of the computer analogy?
The mind interprets the environmental stimuli
What is the storage of the computer analogy?
The minds equivalent of a hard drive is a long-term memory
What is the output of the computer analogy?
The minds output includes speech, behavioural responses, thoughts
Strength of the cognitive approach: science?
Uses objective, scientific methods
High reliability- strong control of extraneous variables
The emergence of cognitive neuroscience has enabled the two fields of biology and cognitive psychology to come together to enhance the scientific basis of study
Therefore The study of the mind has a credible scientific basis
What is a limitation of the approach being so scientific?
Cognitive psychology relies on the inference of mental processes, rather than direct observation of behaviour- it can occasionally suffer from being too abstract and theoretical in nature
Research studies of mental processes are carried out using artificial stimuli that may not represent everyday experience- lacking external validity
Practical application?
Has contributed to the development of AI
Soft determinism?
Soft determinism means that behaviour is constrained to the environment but only by a certain event compared to hard determinism of the behaviourist approach- acknowledges free will
Machine reductionism?
Overly contrived- attempts to make direct comparisons between a computer and the human mind- seems artificial
Human cognition has emotions- feelings are unpredictable- a computer is not
Computer analogy has limited application to cognition
Dehumanising
Limitations of schema?
If there is no clear consensus as to what a schema is, then the theory lacks usefulness.
Difficult to define exactly what a schema is
Schema will differ from person to person
Brain imaging?
Techniques are not infallible
Some fMRI machines may be affected by errors in calibration
External factors (noise and light) can affect the accuracy
