Cognitive Psychology

Question 1

What are the Issues and Debates in Cognitive Psychology Regarding Ethics?

Answer 1

• no confidentiality in case studies like HM’s Case
• no informed consent given by HM or Clive Wearing

Question 2

What are the Issues and Debates in Cognitive Psychology Regarding Practical Issues in the Design?

Answer 2

• lab experiments like Baddely’s Study lacks ecological validity
• confounding variables like personal intelligence may affect memory in Baddely’s Study
• lack of realism in the procedure and task of Baddely’s Study
• no accurate, scientific measurement of memory
• case studies are rare so they are not generalisable due to individual differences

Question 3

What are the Issues and Debates in Cognitive Psychology Regarding Reductionism?

Answer 3

• ignores the importance of the environment which can affect cognitive processes and memory
• memory is artifically broken up into parts like short-term and long-term memory
• under-emphasis and less importance on the interconnections betwen the parts of the brain- in the Multi-Store Model
• each study has one focus in memory and shows no link

Question 4

What are the Issues and Debates in Cognitive Psychology Regarding Comparisons of Ways of Explaining Behaviour using Different Themes?

Answer 4

Different Models of Memory: show different ways of explaining memory, either through structures or processes

• Working Memory Model
• Multi-Store Model
• Tulvings Long-Term Memory
• Bartlett’s Reconstructive Memory

Question 5

What are the Issues and Debates in Cognitive Psychology Regarding Psychology as a Science?

Answer 5

• lab experiments are mainly used in cognitive psychology which is a scientific method as it has high levels of controls to increase the reliability
• Schmolk’s Study uses MRI Brain Scanning Techniques

Question 6

What are the Issues and Debates in Cognitive Psychology Regarding Culture and Gender?

Question 7

What are the Issues and Debates in Cognitive Psychology Regarding the Nature-Nurture Debate?

Answer 7

Nature:

• HM Case Study:
• hippocampus has an important role in forming new memories

Nurture:

• Bartlett’s Reconstructive Memory Theory:
• experiences help our memory develop
• use of schemas
• memories develop through the interaction with the environment

Question 8

What are the Issues and Debates in Cognitive Psychology Regarding the Development of Psychological Understanding Overtime?

Answer 8

• Multi-Store Model was to simple so it led to further models of memory
• Working Memory Model was further improved later by adding the episodic buffer, as knowledge about memory has expanded

Question 9

What are the Issues and Debates in Cognitive Psychology Regarding Social Control?

Answer 9

• Understanding memory in court situations
• Use of eyewitness testimony: reconstructive memory shows memory is unreliable

Question 10

What are the Issues and Debates in Cognitive Psychology Regarding Psychological Knowledge within Society?

Answer 10

• use of knowledge to hel people with dementia or dyslexia
• applicable to the education sector as it could lead to the development of better revision techniques for students
• used in the reliability debate of eyewitness testimony

Question 11

What are the Issues and Debates in Cognitive Psychology Regarding Socially Sensitive Research?

Answer 11

• Study of dementia patients who have lost their memory may be senstive to the individual and their families
• Case studies are socially sensitive