Cognitive Level Of Analysis Flashcards
What is the Cognitive Level of Analysis?
It is based on how mental processes such as perception, attention, language, memory and thinking in the brain processes information. It concerns the way we take in information from the outside world, how we make sense of that information and what use we make of it.
What are the three underlying principles of the Cognitive Level of Analysis?
- Human beings are information processors and that mental representations guide behavior.
- Mental processes can and should be studied scientifically by developing theories and by using a variety of research methods.
- Social and cultural factors affect cognitive processes.
Define schema.
A cognitive structure that organizes knowledge stored in our memory. It is a mental representation of categories about particular aspects of the world (our own personal view of the world).
What is the Schema Theory?
A cognitive theory of processing and organizing information. It states that “as active processors of information, humans integrate new information with existing, stored information”.
What is the Bartlett “War of the Ghost” study (1932)?
Participants of English background were asked to read a Native American story called “The War of the Ghosts”. They were then asked to recall the story six or seven times. The results were the story became shorter and changes were made such as “hunting seals” became “fishing”. These changes show the alteration of culturally unfamiliar things to things the English participants were culturally familiar with. They reconstructed the story so as to make more sense in terms of their knowledge, the culture in which they were brought up in and experiences in the form of schemas.
What is the multi-store model of memory?
A model that consists of three parts: sensory memory, short-term memory (STM) , and long-term memory (LTM). Sensory memory moves to STM (which has limited capacity) then, after constant rehearsal, moves to LTM.
What is Atkinson & Shiffrin’s (1968) study and its implications?
The multi-store model of memory, it demonstrates that cognitive processes such as memory can be scientifically studied and that cognitive theories and models can be applied to real-life scenarios.
What is the Sacks (2007) - Clive Wearing study?
A study demonstrating memory processes between the STM and the LTM in regards to the multi-store model (MSM). Clive Wearing was a musician who got a viral infection which caused serious brain damage in the hippocampus resulting in memory impairment. He could not transfer information from STM to LTM. His memory lasted 7-30 seconds and he was unable to form new memories. The conclusion is STM and LTM are separate stores and STM has limited duration.
What is anterograde amnesia?
Impairment in ability to remember after a particular incident.
What is retrograde amnesia?
Impairment in ability to remember before a particular incident.
What was the Loftus & Palmer (1974) Automobile Reconstruction study?
A study to see if leading questions affected eye-witness testimonies.
What is the Lazarus’s Theory of Appraisal (1982; 1991)?
The appraisal theory of emotion is based on the evaluation of situations according to the significance they have for us. This theory states that emotion is experienced when, in our interaction with the environment, we assess our surroundings as to whether it is beneficial or harmful for our well-being.
What are appraisals?
Appraisals are interpretations of situations and how they will affect one’s well-being. They are both conscious and unconscious, and they contribute to the quality and intensity of an emotion.
The appraisal theory is based on what two concepts?
Primary appraisal and Secondary appraisal.
What is primary appraisal?
Primary appraisal is where the organism assesses the significance or meaning of an event. It has three components:
- Motivational relevance - relevance to goals? (if positive, then there is emotion).
- Motivational congruence - favorable to goals? (yes = positive emotion, no = negative emotion).
- Accountability - who is responsible for what is happening?
What is secondary appraisal?
Secondary appraisal is when the organism appraises the consequence of the event and decides on how to act. It has three components:
- Problem-focused coping - cope with a situation by changing it to make it less threatening for an individual to cope.
- Emotion-focused coping - change the situation by how I feel about it (ex. reinterpreting).
- Future expectancy - To what extent can I expect the situation will change?
What is the study Speisman et al. (1964)?
A study that demonstrates how cognitive appraisals are affected by emotions to stressful situations. Participants were shown a “stressful” film about “unpleasant” genital surgery depicting aboriginal boys having circumcision in the context of puberty. A soundtrack was used in order to manipulate the appraisal of the surgery shown by the film. Results showed that participants reacted more “emotionally” to the more dramatic soundtrack.
