Cognitive Approach

Question 1

The term ‘cognitive’ has come to mean

Answer 1

‘Mental processes’ so this approach is focused on how our mental processes e.g. thoughts, perceptions, attitude affect behaviour

Question 2

How is cognitive approach direct contrast to behaviourist approach.

Answer 2

Cognitive approach argues that mental processes can and should be studied scientifically and the approach has investigated areas of human behaviour neglected by behaviourism e.g. memory and perception

Question 3

Explain the role of influence in the study of mental processes

Answer 3

Mental processes are ‘private’ and cannot be observed so cognitive psychologists study them indirectly by making inferences- process whereby cognitive psychologists draw conclusions about the way mental processes operate on the basis of observed behaviour

Question 4

Cognitive psychologists use what 2 types of model when describing and explaining mental processes

Answer 4

• theoretical models

- computer models

Question 5

Explain use of theoretical models when describing and explaining mental processes

Answer 5

One important theoretical model is information processing approach which suggests that information flows through a sequence of stages including:
- input
- storage
- retrieval 
As in MSM

Question 6

Explain use of computer models when describing and explaining mental processes

Answer 6

• ‘computer analogy’ suggests that there are similarities in the way computers and human minds process information
• e.g. use of a central processor e.g brain, the changing of information into a useable code along with the use of ‘stores’ to retain information

Question 7

Explain how the idea of schema is central to cognitive approach

Answer 7

• a schema is a mental framework of beliefs and expectations that influence cognitive processing, developed from experience
• babies for instance are born with simple motor schema for innate behaviour such as sucking and grasping
• as we age, our schema become more detailed and sophisticated

Question 8

What are the evaluation points for cognitive approach?

Answer 8

✅ cognitive approach uses scientific and objective methods
✅ emergence of cognitive neuroscience
- often based on research of high internal validity but low external validity
❌ based on machine reductionism
✅ less deterministic than other approaches

Question 9

Explain how the cognitive approach uses scientific and objective methods

Answer 9

• cognitive psychologists have always employed controlled and rigorous methods of study e.g. lab experiments in order to infer cognitive processes at work
• enabling two fields of biology and cognitive psychology to unite = cognitive neuroscience
  = study of the mind has established a credible, scientific basis

Question 10

Explain emergence of cognitive neuroscience

Answer 10

• cognitive neuroscience is the scientific study of the influence of brain structures (‘neuro’) on mental processes (thinking I.e. cognition)
• with advances in brain scanning techniques in last 20 years, scientists have been able to describe the neurological basis of mental processing
• including research in memory that has linked episodic and semantic memories to opposite sides of the prefrontal cortex in the brain
• so cognitive neuroscience methodologies have allowed researchers to delve into ‘private’ internal mental processes, providing exciting prospects in which psychology can advance

Question 11

Explain how cognitive approach is often based on research of high internal validity but low external validity

Answer 11

• cognitive psychologists are only able to infer mental processes from the behaviour they observe in labs, so the approach sometimes suffers from being too abstract and theoretical
• ALTHOUGH key concepts of cognitive approach have been applied to real life
• for instance the approach has made an important contribution tonte field of artificial intelligence (AI) and the development of ‘thinking machines’ (robots) such as Honda’s ASIMO

Question 12

Explain how cognitive approach is based on machine reductionism

Answer 12

• machine reductionism is a feature of the cognitive approach in which the operations of the human mind are likened (reduced) to those of a computer
• although there are similarities between the operations of the human mind and a computer (inputs, outputs, central processor, storage systems), the computer analogy has nevertheless been heavily criticised
• for instance, human emotion and motivation have been shown to inflicted accuracy of recall in eye witness accounts
• e.g. Johnson and Scott’s investigation into the effect of anxiety on recall for EWT showed that high levels of anxiety impaired judgement (recall accuracy)
• factors including human emotions, conscience and motivation are not considered within the computer analogy
• therefore the cognitive approach oversimplifies the complexities of human processing and ultimately ignores important aspects that influence performance

Question 13

Explain how the cognitive approach is less deterministic than other approaches

Answer 13

• cognitive approach= based on soft determinism = recognises our cognitive system only operate within the limits of what we know, but ultimately we are free to think before responding to a stimulus
• so provides a good balance between proclaiming hard determinism and free will
• this is in contrast to behaviourist approach which suggests we are passive ‘slaves’ to the environment and lack any element of free choice (free will) in our behaviour
• but the cognitive approach takes a more reasonable and flexible middle-ground position in free will-determinism debate and is preferable to hard determinism suggested by social learning theorists for example