introduction

Question 1

what is meant by cognitive psychology?

Answer 1

• cognitive psychologists believe our mind is like an information processor
• major influence on human behaviour and emotion is how the mind processes information
• cognitive psychologists compare the human brain to a computer
• information comes into a computer through a keyboard or software disk. humans receive information through their senses
• the computer then runs programmes to process information. humans process information via the central nervous system and brain
• the computer gives out output in terms of a printout and humans gives a wide variety of outputs as behaviour

Question 2

what is it meant by cognition?

Answer 2

• refers to the mental processes needed to make sense of the world
• includes perception, attention, language, thinking, problem solving and memory

Question 3

what do cognitive psychologists believe?

Answer 3

• the way we think affects the way we behave
• we need to understand cognitive processes, to form theories and models to explain how these mental operations influence behaviour

Question 4

what are the key assumptions/main features of cognitive approach?

Answer 4

1. information processing
2. the computer analogy

Question 5

what is meant by information processing?

Answer 5

• assumes the information is processed in the brain
• processing is considered to be linear (single straight line)
• information is taken in by the senses before the processing
• when information is being remembered, information is encoded in the brain
• it is then stored
• when remembered it is then retrieved from storage

Question 6

what model shows the idea of information processing?

Answer 6

• the multi-store model of memory

Question 7

what does msm show?

Answer 7

• sensory register: information comes into
• short term memory: information is rehearsed or lost
• long term memory: information is stored and it comes from stm
• stm and ltm can both be output

Question 8

what is the computer analogy?

Answer 8

1. a computer has an input, processing and output. receives an input via keyboard
   unlike computer, human brain receives info from
   senses
2. once data has been inputted, computer processes data. human brain processes information it perceives
   one big difference here between computers and human brains - humans make mistakes
3. once processing is complete, there is an output
   computer produces output in form of printout or screen display
4. human being produces output using language or written word
   humans are more complex with their output also consisting of body emotions and language