Cognitive approach-EVAL Flashcards
what is one strength of the cognitive approach?
it uses LAB EXPERIMENTS.
These are OBJECTIVE and CONTROLLED which are 2 KEY elements of science. Therefore this supports the scientific nature of the C.A, and is also a NOMOTHETIC approach (making general laws equal to science)
However, a problem is that the C.A uses INFERENCE to make assumptions about information based on observable behaviours. This can be seen as LESS scientific as it is LESS objective.
Therefore, the C.A has elements of scientific credibility, but is LESS scientific than the the behavioural approach due to it’s use of INFERENCE.
What is one weakness of the cognitive approach?
MACHINE REDUCTIONISM.
It reduces COMPLEX issues down to just information processing, seeing humans as similar to a computer.
This is a weakness as it may MISS other important factors that could be INFLUENCING behaviour. E.g. EMOTION, as it has been shown emotion can affect our information processing e.g. ANXIETY ON EWT.
Therefore, the C.A should take an INTERACTIONIST approach instead.
However one positive of the C.A being machine reductionist is that by reducing causation down to a SINGLE factor, it makes it EASIER to measure and show cause and effect, increasing SCIENTIFIC CREDIBILITY.
what is another problem with the cognitive approach?
it uses LAB experiments which are ARTIFICIAL settings and so they may LACK ecological validity as the findings of these may not relate to REAL life. Eg. capacity of our memory in a lab setting may not reflect capacity at a home setting.
Also, the study tends to use artificial MATERIALS such as word lists. This is an issues as it lacks MUNDANE REALISM and external validity as findings whic hmay be SUPPORTING the cognitive concepts, may NOT relate to real life tasks.
Therefore, we could say that the C.A doesn’t REFLECT information processing in REAL life situations or REAL life TASKS, which is a weakness.
However, it does have real life APPLICATION such as the cognitive interview and cbt.
what is another positive of the cognitive approach?
it is LESS DETERMINISTIC than the behaviourist appraoch, as it shows SOFT determinism rather than hard environmental determinism.
This means the C.A acknoowledges an element of FREE WILL in terms of choice where we CAN make decisions, however this is NOT free choice. This is because out choices are AFFECTED by our previous EXPERIENCES e.g. via our SCHEMAS.
This is still a strength as it incorporates an ELEMETN of free will instead of ignoring it.
However this could be problematic as we do not have the same CAUSE + EFFECT as we would with HARD determinism. Causation is a key element of science, so by taking soft determinism, then the C.A would have LESS scientific credibility than the behaviourist approach.
