L1: Introduction to Cognitive Psychology Flashcards
What is cognitive psychology?
It is the study of internal mental processes, such as perceiving, remembering, writing, reasoning and reading.
What processes does it concern?
Acquiring, storing and transforming information.
What is the scientific method for research?
Theory -> Hypothesis -> Design & Conduct Experiment -> Collect & Analyse Data -> Compare Data Against Hypothesis -> Draw Conclusion
What are the dependent and independent variables of the Stroop Effect?
Independent variable (manipulated): Stimulus
congruency (3 levels)
Dependent variable (measured): Color naming
time
Explain the Stroop Effect
- There are 2 pathways (word reading & colour naming) that are simultaneously activated in an incongruent condition. This causes conflict, which slows us down.
- Word reading pathway is automatic, but colour reading pathway is effortful. In incongruent conditions, you have to inhibit the automatic response, which slows you down.
What does the information processing perspective assume?
Assumes that information in the environment is processed by different systems, and information is transformed before being passed to the next system. Processing is serial - one process is completed before the next begins.
What is decay?
When unattended memory in sensory memory is lost.
What is displacement?
When unrehearsed information in the short-term memory is lost.
How does sensory memory convert to short-term memory?
Through attention, then maintenance rehearsal.
How does short-term memory convert to long-term memory?
Through rehearsal.
How do you recall things?
Information is brought from long-term memory to short-term memory for usage.
How is introspection done?
Ask people to look inside their own minds and systematically examine and describe one’s own thoughts and mental states.
3 Limitations of Introspection
- Humans are largely unaware of underlying cognitive processes
- Reports of conscious experience may be biased,
intentionally or otherwise - Delay between the conscious experience and the report of that experience
How does Behaviourism overcome Introspection?
Focuses on verifiable objective experiences rather than subjective mental experiences.
2 Limitations of Behaviourism
- The research by behaviourists became
increasingly esoteric and inaccessible to
psychologists in other areas - Research based almost entirely on non-human subjects, and it was unclear how well findings generalised to humans
How is the brain similar to a computer?
Brain -> Computer Hardware
Mental Processes -> Software Programs
What is Experimental Cognitive Psychology?
Exploring the processes and mechanisms underlying human cognition based on behavioural data
Limitations of Experimental Cognitive Psychology
- Largely based on laboratory research, so ecological validity may be challenged.
- Dependent variables are often speed and accuracy of response, which only provide indirect clues to mental processing.
What does Cognitive Neuroscience do?
Allows us to work out where and when cognitive processes occur in the brain.
What are the 2 main methods of Cognitive Neuroscience?
- Event-Related Potentials (ERP)
- Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (FMRI)
How does Event-Related Potentials work?
Measures electrical activity on scalp surface. Assess the time-course of cognitive processes.
How does fMRI work?
Measures the BOLD signal in the brain using a large magnet. BOLD signal is the flow of oxygen in the brain, which is correlated with mental activity.
Limitations of Cognitive Neuroscience
- Often hard to interpret results from brain imaging studies.
- Brain activity is related to task performance in very complex ways.
- Data is correlational rather than causal.
- Assumes functional specialisation of brain regions.
What is Cognitive Neuropsychology?
Deals with cognitive performance of brain-damaged patients, which yields insights into normal brain function. Look for dissociations, where BD patients are normal on one task, but impaired in another.
Object Knowledge
Knowledge about objects isn’t stored in a single system. Knowledge of different properties (auditory, visual, olfactory etc) may be stored in different systems.
