Cognitive Psychology Chapters 1-4 Flashcards
What is Cognitive Psychology?
The scientific interdisciplinary study of the mind
-Interested in how the brain processes information
Cognition
The mental events and knowledge we use when we recognize an object, remember a name, have an idea, understand a sentence, or solve a problem
Cognitive Science
The scientific study of thought, language, and the brain, in short, the scientific study of the mind
Research Oriented because…
Empirical (scientific) and models used
Emotions effect on processing of the brain
We pass an emotional judgement to see if something is worth time spent, *A way emotional aspect is used in cog. psych
Mental processes
Can occur with little conscious awareness.
-Mental processes are complex (elaborate)
Memory
The mental processes of acquiring and retaining information for later retrieval and the mental storage system that enables these processes.
*Not always consciously using memories that one has
Retrieval of Memories
Retrieval of memories deals with both the conscious and the automatic recalling—-> we can also alter our memories
Human Biases
*Humans have a bias towards negativity (It grabs our attention)
How to study mental processes
Mental processes can be studied by behaviors (Ex. reaction time and responses)
-Technology is a big factor in studying cognition
Assumptions of Cog. Psych (1)
Mental processes exist
Assumptions of Cog. Psych (2)
Mental processes can be studied scientifically
“If it exists it can be studied”
Assumptions of Cog. Psych (3)
ACTIVE INFORMATION PROCESSORS
Scientist Miller calls us informavores
Hear info., you process it and decide if you need it or don’t need it by processors—–> Have to undergo a process to get rid of a previously ignored info. longer reaction time occurs because of this
Assumptions of Cog. Psych (4)
Some processes occur without conscious awareness
- Representations reflects the sensory modality and meaning of information…Components of this are:
1) Format: the means by which it conveys info.
2) Content: the meaning, conveyed by a particular representation
Three stages
Encoding, Retention, Retrieval