Intro to Cognitive Psychology Flashcards
what is cognitive psychology?
the scientific study of thought, experience, and perceptions
what approach does cognitive psychology take?
information-processing approach
what does the information-processing approach involve?
the stimulus enters the brain and is processed serially through different modules, towards a decision and motor response
what is the mind viewed as?
a stimulus response machine, by receiving electrical signals from sensory systems to perceive information
bottom-up processing
directly caused by the stimulus
top-down processing
influences of an individual’s mind and prior experiences
how are conscious experiences represented?
activity of many neurones
evidence of neurones representing complex information
grandmother cells having ‘preferred’ stimuli
rate coding
greater rate of neurone’s response
temporal coding
greater synchrony of several neurone’s responses
how many neurones are approx. in the human brain?
80 billion
what percent of brain cells are neurones?
50%
electrophysiology measures…
electrical activity within brain cells by single-cell recordings
- EEG
- ERPs
EEG measures…
real-time neural activity via electrodes on the scalp
ERPs…
generate average EEG waveforms to compare across psychological conditions
benefits of electrophysiology
portable, inexpensive, and strong temporal resolution
limitations of electrophysiology
poor spatial resolution
structural imaging (MRI) measures…
the time taken to relax from radio frequency
- diffusion tensor imaging
- functional imaging
diffusion tensor imaging…
observes water diffusion across white matter to measure cognition across brain regions
functional imaging (fMRI)…
measures the blood oxygenation dependant signal between brain regions
benefits of structural imaging
good spatial resolution
limitations of structural imaging
poor temporal resolution, and is not a direct measure of neurones
brain stimulation (TMS) produces…
magnetic fields to induce electrical activity and observe cognitive behaviour
benefits of brain stimulation
non-invasive, and provides causal evidence
limitations of brain stimulation
weak brain stimulation results in weak effects, and potential risk in epilepsy
ways to study cognition
- experimental cognitive psychology
- cognitive neuropsychology
- cognitive neuroscience
how does experimental cognitive psychology study behaviour?
in a controlled laboratory setting using indirect behavioural meaures
benefits of experimental cognitive psychology
generates cognitive theories that contribute to neuroscience and empirical science
limitations of experimental cognitive psychology
uncertain whether psychological concepts exist, and low ecological and face validity
what does cognitive neuropsychology study?
patients with brain injury to discover cognitive functions following damage to particular regions
limitations of cognitive neuropsychology
lack of baseline data, generalisations, and assumptions of modularity
limitations of cognitive neuroscience
expensive, invasive, and emphasis on measuring effects over testing theories
what do illusions provide evidence of?
perception is not veridical, as sensory systems are imperfect and idiosyncratic
why is perception unreliable?
affected by top-down processing expectations, and limited cognitive processes
