cognitive approach Flashcards
what are the 3 cognitive approach assumptions
- The brain is like a computer with inputs and outputs (e.g Atkinson and shiffon, inputs-processes-outputs)
- behaviour is a result of internal mental process (the way that your brain processes things
- schema- organised set of information that are built up through experience e.g. barlett war of the ghosts
what is the study for the cognitive approach and their aim?
loftus and palmer, the aim of the study was to investigate the accuracy of memory when involving a leading question
what was L and P sample
45 participants
Students
what was l and p procedure for study 1
- each participant was shown 7 film clips showing a car crash
- after they were asked to describe the car crash
- asked the critical question “how fast were the cars going when they____ eachother”
- WORDS CHANGED smashed 48mph, bumped 38.1, hit 34mph, contacted 31.8pmh
what was L and P procedure and aim for study 2
- Aim: To investigate whether leading questions actually altered a persons memory.
- They were shown 1 film clip of cars colliding then given the question with either hit or smashed words
- Later, ppts were asked to return and asked this critical question “DID YOU SEE ANY BROKIEN GLASS” smashed = 16 ppl said yes, hit = 7 people said yes
what did loftus and palmer conclude
Conclusion-memory is determined by information given from the event and information given after the event
evaluate the study of loftus and palmer
FOR: ethics better as video not REAL LIFE.
No control variables
IV manipulated so easy to replicate
Controlled conditions in lab expeirmnent no extraneous variables
AGAINST-not as representative
Demand characteristics as they knew it was a study on memory
No after care mentally affected?
what is the contempory debate for the cognitive approach
Eye witness testimony debate
yes its reliable:
Yes- loftus showed students pics of a mean stealing a red wallet, 98% recalled as red despite being told it was brown
Yes- interviewed 13 people who saw robbery even months later they could recall the robbery (reliable in real life situations
no its not reliable
Loftus- video of car accident and they asked “did you see the broken headlight” the word THE influenced ppts to say yes
Maas and kohen- asked to describe features of a woman and because she was holding a syringe they couldn’t recall weapons = don’t focus on criminals
what is the therapy for the cognitive approach?
cogntitive behavourial therapy
Short term therapy session, 10-20 sessions of aiming to change and moditfy irrational disordered thoughts
5 steps to CBT
1. identify situations/symptons in the clients life
2. Become aware of the thoughts and emotions this could include a thought diary
3. Focus on physical and emotional responses to behaviour
4. Challenge the negative thinking
5 Practical skills
what are the 3 components to CBT
- Dysfunctional thought diary- clients asked to keep a record of their thoughts and feelings and rate them on a scale of 1-100 of how much they believe them and then rationalise and re rate them.
- pleasant activity planning- the client to plan a pleasant activity to do each day with a new accomplishment. Distract from negative thoughts
- cognitive restructuring – challenge the thoughts e.g. “whats the worst that can happen”
what are the fors and against for CBT as a therapy
FOR-Jaret et al found that cbt to be just as effective as some anti depressents when treating 108 patients with severe depression
Therapist competence- ability to plan and structure sessions, and engage good therapy sessions
Ethics- acknowledges that people have free will and gives the patients control and power.
AGAINST- Hollins found no difference between anti depressants and cbt in 107 patients
Ethics- blaming people for their thought process could damadge their self esteem
what is a cognitive triad
Cognitive triad is a set of negative schemas about how we view ourself, the future and the world. CBT can improves someone who has a disorder and improve their negative cognitive triad.
what are the 4 types of thought distortions
selective absorption, focusing on a single aspect of a situation
Magnification- exaggeration undesirable events
Minimisation- underpaying the significance of an event
Over generalisation- drawing negative conclusions on everything based on 1 event
what are strengths and weaknesses of the cognitive assumption as an explanation for behaviour
S- models have presented a useful means to help explain internal mental processing
behavourists dont focus on IMP like cognitive does
the methods within the approach are considered scientific
W- it could be argued that the cognitive approach over simplifies complex mental processes
evidence comes mainly from lab experiemnts which puts ecological validity at question
comparing a human mind to a machine could be argued as an unsophisticated analogy
