Lecture 1 Introduction Flashcards
What is cognitive psychology?
The study of the human thought processes/cognition (the mental action or process of acquiring knowledge and understanding through thought, experience, and the senses.
-Also the foundation of other psychological disciplines
Who is titchener?
He is an american psychologist, interested in the “elements of thought” who along with Wundt launched the new enterprise of research psychology.
they concluded that the only way to study thoughts is for each of us to introspect (look w/in)
What is the Element of thoughts?
It is a list of elements produced by titchener. He believed that all thoughts could be broken down into basic elements, specifically sensations, that when u identified an object (apple) you put together memories of sensations from your past (color. smell texture, shape. and taste) and hence were able to describe it.
Why isn’t introspection(examination/observation of one’s own mental/emotional processes) sufficient?
To understand though processes we can introspect but as well do scientific experiments. Unfortunately there was no way to test its claims.
visual perception of gist vs. detail, disagreement about mental capacity
Introspection accesses conscious thoughts, which are incomplete and misleading
Introspection was limited as a research tool.
What is the concept of introspection: ?
Introspection says that vision is effortless, memory is slightly blurred replica of the past, an that human brain gives rise to language and consciousness.
What does RSVP stand for in Marry potter’s studies on vision?
Rapid Serial Visual Presentation
What was significant information regarding Potter’s findings in her visual Search studies?
her research was evidence that vision is effortless, which is a concept of introspection. She used RSVP paradigm, images that were presented quickly. this research proved that 150 milliseconds is long enough for humans to perceive complex scenes.
What other evidence exist that are against potter’s RSVP research?
Change Blindness
What is change Blindness?
Research done by Simons that proves ppl fail to notice changes. It’s a perceptual phenomenon that occurs when a change in a visual stimulus is introduced and the observer does not notice it.
What does Change Blindness prove?
- proves ppl fail to notice change.
2. vision is not automatic, efficient, or foolproof.
Which study is correct? RSVP by potter or Change blindness by Simons
Both are correct, they both are replicable. Gist comprehension is fast, and visual details are hard to retain.
Is vision efficient or not?
to humans, comprehending gist is easier than remembering visual details
to computers: perhaps the opposite is true
So introspection about whats efficient and what’s not, does not apply to all intelligent systems.
What occurred and was concluded by miss P.S.’s case?
Miss. P.S. had a stroke on the right parietal lobe causing her to neglect the left side of space (visual field, only could recall/perceive the right part of food, drawings)
In Marshalls & Halligans study, similar cases of neglect syndrome, patients showed that despite apparent unawareness for relevant features on the affected left side, patients could still be influenced by information on the neglected side. ex was when showed two images where the difference was placed on the left side, patient would still choose the image without any dangerous flames.
What do the Split brain patients inform us?
That the left hemisphere controls speech, the right doesn’t. When the corpus callosum (large fiber bundle) is cut, it interfered with the transfer of information. Split-brain patients when presented with information on their right visual perception, their left hemisphere would be able to act on it and describe why they acted the way they did (stand up). and when presented with information on the left, the patient would do as directed but not be able to describe why they acted in that manner(laugh). This research concludes that conscious introspection can be misleading
