Intro to Cognitive Psychology

Question 1

what is cognitive psychology?

Answer 1

the scientific study of thought, experience, and perceptions

Question 2

what approach does cognitive psychology take?

Answer 2

information-processing approach

Question 3

what does the information-processing approach involve?

Answer 3

the stimulus enters the brain and is processed serially through different modules, towards a decision and motor response

Question 4

what is the mind viewed as?

Answer 4

a stimulus response machine, by receiving electrical signals from sensory systems to perceive information

Question 5

bottom-up processing

Answer 5

directly caused by the stimulus

Question 6

top-down processing

Answer 6

influences of an individual’s mind and prior experiences

Question 7

how are conscious experiences represented?

Answer 7

activity of many neurones

Question 8

evidence of neurones representing complex information

Answer 8

grandmother cells having ‘preferred’ stimuli

Question 9

rate coding

Answer 9

greater rate of neurone’s response

Question 10

temporal coding

Answer 10

greater synchrony of several neurone’s responses

Question 11

how many neurones are approx. in the human brain?

Answer 11

80 billion

Question 12

what percent of brain cells are neurones?

Answer 12

50%

Question 13

electrophysiology measures…

Answer 13

electrical activity within brain cells by single-cell recordings
- EEG
- ERPs

Question 14

EEG measures…

Answer 14

real-time neural activity via electrodes on the scalp

Question 15

ERPs…

Answer 15

generate average EEG waveforms to compare across psychological conditions

Question 16

benefits of electrophysiology

Answer 16

portable, inexpensive, and strong temporal resolution

Question 17

limitations of electrophysiology

Answer 17

poor spatial resolution

Question 18

structural imaging (MRI) measures…

Answer 18

the time taken to relax from radio frequency
- diffusion tensor imaging
- functional imaging

Question 19

diffusion tensor imaging…

Answer 19

observes water diffusion across white matter to measure cognition across brain regions

Question 20

functional imaging (fMRI)…

Answer 20

measures the blood oxygenation dependant signal between brain regions

Question 21

benefits of structural imaging

Answer 21

good spatial resolution

Question 22

limitations of structural imaging

Answer 22

poor temporal resolution, and is not a direct measure of neurones

Question 23

brain stimulation (TMS) produces…

Answer 23

magnetic fields to induce electrical activity and observe cognitive behaviour

Question 24

benefits of brain stimulation

Answer 24

non-invasive, and provides causal evidence

Question 25

limitations of brain stimulation

Answer 25

weak brain stimulation results in weak effects, and potential risk in epilepsy

Question 26

ways to study cognition

Answer 26

1. experimental cognitive psychology 2. cognitive neuropsychology 3. cognitive neuroscience

Question 27

how does experimental cognitive psychology study behaviour?

Answer 27

in a controlled laboratory setting using indirect behavioural meaures

Question 28

benefits of experimental cognitive psychology

Answer 28

generates cognitive theories that contribute to neuroscience and empirical science

Question 29

limitations of experimental cognitive psychology

Answer 29

uncertain whether psychological concepts exist, and low ecological and face validity

Question 30

what does cognitive neuropsychology study?

Answer 30

patients with brain injury to discover cognitive functions following damage to particular regions

Question 31

limitations of cognitive neuropsychology

Answer 31

lack of baseline data, generalisations, and assumptions of modularity

Question 32

limitations of cognitive neuroscience

Answer 32

expensive, invasive, and emphasis on measuring effects over testing theories

Question 33

what do illusions provide evidence of?

Answer 33

perception is not veridical, as sensory systems are imperfect and idiosyncratic

Question 34

why is perception unreliable?

Answer 34

affected by top-down processing expectations, and limited cognitive processes