COGNITIVE individual differences and developmental factors Flashcards

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1
Q

what are the individual differences that affect cognitive processes

A

processing speed and schemas (culture), episodic memory and case studies of brain damaged patients

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2
Q

how is processing speed an individual difference

A
  • Sebastian and Hernandez Gil - compared digit spans of Spanish children to British children
  • found that culture affected memory
  • English had one more digit to their memory span (thought due to less syllables)
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3
Q

why is Sebastian and Hernandez-Gil’s study a strength for explaining individual difference

A
  • used strict controls - excluded participants with hearing, reading, or language impairments
  • could have an effect on results
  • increases internal validity
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4
Q

how are schemas an individual difference

A
  • affected by upbringing and nurture
  • schemas represent stereotypical beliefs about objects/ events
  • reconstructive memory is affected by cultural variation
  • Baddeley’s War of the Ghosts - paddles and canoes became boat and oars
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5
Q

why is Bartlett’s study a weakness to explain individual differences

A
  • only tested on participants from Cambridge
  • all similar cultural backgrounds
  • makes the results not generalisable - ethnocentric
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6
Q

how is episodic memory an individual difference

A
  • individual to the person - life memories
  • individuals have unique memories about people, places, events and times
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7
Q

why is episodic memory a strength for individual differences

A
  • psychologists used this to encourage dementia patients to talk about past events
  • dementia usually have episodic memories
  • cause less strain than recalling factual information
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8
Q

how is case studies of brain damaged patients an individual difference

A
  • some people may have damage from birth/ illness/ accident
  • areas damaged will result in different cognitive processes impaired
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9
Q

why is case studies a weakness

A
  • they are unique to individuals so can’t compare them as if they are the same
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10
Q

what are the developmental factors

A

development of the phonological loop and development of Alzheimer’s disease

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11
Q

how is phonological loop a developmental factor

A
  • deals with verbal information
  • affected by age (younger = shorter digit span)
  • capacity increases with age
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12
Q

what is the strength of the phonological loop as a developmental factor

A

Sebastian and Hernandez-Gil found digit span increased with age of Spanish children
- peaked around 17 years old
- supports the increase between 5 and 17

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13
Q

what is the weakness of the phonological loop being a developmental factor

A
  • evidence is limited - only Spanish children from Madrid (ethnocentric)
  • may differ in other Spanish children - can’t generalise
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14
Q

how is the development of Alzheimer’s a developmental factor

A

normal age process = loss of general cognitive functioning
- Alzheimer’s increases this loss
- initially deteriorates new memories
- cognitive process decline rapidly

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15
Q

what is the strength of the development of Alzheimer’s

A
  • knowledge of the limitations leads to useful applications
  • can implement practical ways to tackle memory loss
  • applying need to rehearse (MSM) leads to routines
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16
Q

what is the weakness of the development of Alzheimer’s

A

reductionist - memory ability affected by many factors not just age
- isolates age

17
Q

what are the overall strengths and weaknesses

A
  • useful application in schools but alternative reasoning (genetics, possible stress in environment)