Cognitive psychology Flashcards
Main assumptions
-mind works like a computer- our internal mental processes, extract, store and retrieve info to help guide behaviour
-behaviour influenced by unconscious and conscious thoughts
-inferences are made on observed behaviour
-internal processes can be studied scientifically and objectively
-models should be used to demonstrate function of mental processes
What is our behaviour determined by
the way we process info
perception
the process by which we take in and make sense of info from the environment
attention
the process by which we focus on particular sources of information rather than others and maintain this over time
memory
the process by which we retain and recall info
Language
use of mental symbols to represent info in the mind, helping thinking and communication between people
thinking
process by which we manipulate info in the mind in order to reason, solve problems, make decisions and judgements
inference
act of drawing conclusions from evidence and using reasoning to assume how somethings working
example of how cognitive approach makes inferencees about how memory is structured/ works through peformance in experiments
capacity of short term memory test, recall list of items, n of words used to infer capacity of STM
negatives about studying internal mental processes
- inference may not be correct, only assumptions
-possible low ecological validity
(not reflect normal processes as its in a lab)
-not reflect normal memory as its designed to operationalise
(make something measurable) a part of the memory
what are schema
“packages” of ideas and information developed through experience
-act as mental framework for the interpretation of incoming information received by cognitive system
how do schema form
through experiences and aid in making future predictions of events, they are subjective
four steps to assimilating a schema
- we have to pay attention to it
- we have to perceive its features
- we have to search our memory store to see if it matches existing schema
- we have to name it using our language
negative consequences of schemas
-stereotypes
-focus on things which confirm pre-existing beliefs
-see what we want to see, remember only selected/ baised versions of events
internal mental processes
operations that occur in the mind, but can be studied scientifically, known as mediational processes as they occur between stimulus and response
inference
the process whereby cognitive psychologists draw conclusions about how mental process operate on the basis of observed behaviour
cognitive neuroscience
the scientific study of those biological structures that underpin cognitive processes
theoretical models
models which depict a series of stages and explain the stages of mental processes e.g. flow diagram
computer models
using a computer to construct programmes that mimic/ simulate how internal processes are working
name one important theoretical model
information processing approach
what has lead to cognitive neuroscience
advancement of technology
examples of neuroimaging techniques
PET scans, MRI
benefit of neuroimaging
-match certain parts of the brain to certain disorders e.g. paraphippocampal gyrus and OCD
brain fingerprinting
mind mapping technique which analyses brain wave patterns
what is brain fingerprinting used for
analyse the brain wave patterns of eyewitnesses to determine weather they’re lying in court - cognitive interview
strength of cognitive approach (science)
it uses objective scientific methods
-objective methods so scientists can infer cognitive processes
strength of cognitive approach (link between approaches)
-links cognition and biology so study of mind has credible scientific basis
weakness of scientific methods as a strength to the cognitive approach
-relies on the inference of mental process rather than direct observation
-research studies using artificial stimuli (e.g. memory tests) lacks external validity
strength of cognitive approach (application)
-made important contributions in the field of AI
-applied to treatment of depression (cognitive behavioural therapy)
-improve reliability of eyewitness testimony
weakness of cognitive approach (machine)
-machine reductionism
-ignores influence of human emotion and motivation on cognitive system e.g. anxiety of eyewitness
-weaken validity
strength of cognitive approach (determinism)
-founded on soft determinism (view that human behaviour may be determined by internal and external factors but also our free will)
strength of cognitive approach (reductionist)
-hesitation to asset reductionist explanation of mental processes
-consciousness, memory and perception not reducible to biological outcomes
