Lesson 6 The Cognitive Approach - The Use Of Theoretical Computer Models And The Emergence Of Cognitive Neuroscience Flashcards
Similarities between the human mind and a computer
Both have input
Both have memory
Both have output
Both have very high tech
Both could malfunction
Differences between the human mind and a computer
Computer made of metal and plastic, brain is organic
Computer needs plugging in
Computers have limited memeory
Computer doesn’t have feelings or emotions
Information processing model
Information is received though the senses and is processed by the brain in a series of steps - inout, processing and output
These steps can also describe how computers process information. The mind is like a computer
Emergence of cognitive neuroscience (AO1)
• Neuroscience emerged in 1971
• Miller (1991) first used the term, “cognitive neuroscience” in order to bridge the gap between cognitive science and neuroscience.
• Cognitive neuroscience looks at the biological basis of thought processes e.g. how the influence of neurons that can be involved in developing thought processes. This combines the cognitive approach with some elements of the biological approach
• The mind is like a computer, and cognitive neuroscience tends to include computer generated models which can read the brain and help develop mind mapping and brain finger printing. Could the future involve psychologists analysing brain wave patterns of EWT to see if people are lying?
• Cognitive neuroscience can be defined as: “The scientific study of the influence of the brain structure on mental processes. Area of the brain can be mapped to locate specific cognitive functions”
• Cognitive neuroscience evolved as technology has advanced when studying the brain. Cognitive neuroscientists use many different methods to study the brain (for example lesion studies where brain damaged patients and their brain is investigated, also neuroimaging whereby parts of the brain can be investigated for activation, whilst a patient is performing a task).
• We can now study the living brain and get detailed information about mental processing in action, some examples include: Functional magnetic resonance imaging (FMRI scans), Positron Emission Tomography (PET)
Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (FMRI)
Safe painless and non invasive
No known health risks associated with the procedure as long as the patient has no metal or electronic implants
Used to understand what areas of the brain are most active when a person performs a mental task
Positron Emission Tomography (PET)
Used mostly in patients with brain or heart conditions and cancer
Helps visualise the biochemical changes taking place in the body such as the metabolism
Creates a 3-D image of your body
Look for cancer or track if the cancer has spread
Advantages of the use of theoretical computer models and the emergence of cognitive neuroscience
1) A strength of the cognitive approach is that it is very dominant today in Psychology. The Cognitive approach can be applied to practical and theoretical contexts and has helped develop cognitive neuroscience. For example Cognitive Psychology has helped contribute to the development of artificial intelligence and, “thinking” machines such as robots. (+)
2) The Cognitive approach has been praised because it has been founded on the idea of, “soft determinism.” This means that humans recognise that their cognitive thinking system operates within the limits of what they know and humans are free to think before they respond to stimuli. The cognitive approach is more interactionist than other approaches and is not as deterministic as the behavioural approach (+)
3) A strength of the cognitive approach and its focus on theoretical computer models, is that it emphasises scientific methods such as laboratory experiments when collecting data. This means that high levels of control can be exercised in these settings and cause and effect relationships can be identified between the independent and dependent variables. .(+)
Disadvantages of the use of theoretical computer models and the emergence of cognitive neuroscience
4) The cognitive approach can be criticised for its use of theoretical computer models. This is because such models over simplify the behaviour being examined and reduce it down to simple steps/processes that could be regarded as reductionist or mechanistic. The role of emotion is also lacking and overlooked when using theoretical models (-)
5) The cognitive approach can be criticised because it is not accurate to compare humans to computers. Computers are objects that are mechanistic and have no free will, whereas humans have free will and are alive! To compare humans to computers seems inaccurate as there are so many differences that exist between them, and we must be aware of this when applying cognitive neuroscience to human thinking (-)
6) The cognitive approach can be criticised as it uses computer models to explain human behaviour e.g. input, processing and output. The human mind is very different to the workings of a computer, for example, computers do not forget things, they do not make mistakes and they do not get tired, unlike the human mind! Therefore it is inaccurate to compare the human mind to a computer (-)
Maguire (2000) - A study of taxi drivers’ brains (AO1)
• Maguire wanted to investigate if brain anatomy was predetermined, or whether the brain is susceptible to plastic changes, in response to environmental stimulation – in this case driving a taxi
• Taxi drivers undergo extensive training, known as ‘The Knowledge’ and therefore make an ideal group for the study of spatial navigation.
• The aim was to examine whether structural changes could be detected in the brain of people with extensive experience of spatial navigation.
• 32 healthy males (average age of 44) were investigated and split into two groups
• One group were 16 licensed male London taxi drivers (worked in the job for at least 18 months) and the second group were 16 males in a control group who had never driven taxis.
• MRI scans of their brain were taken and analysed.
• The results from the MRI scans showed that the right posterior hippocampus in the brain of the taxi drivers’ was larger than the control group; and this was related to the length of time the taxi driver had been in the job.
• The longer they had been a taxi driver, the larger the right posterior hippocampus. This part of the brain is responsible for storing visual representations of the environment and this links to the fact that taxi drivers have to navigate around the streets of London.
• This demand in knowledge resulted in a physical change in the brain which was identified by the MRI scan.
• A positive correlation was found between the amount of time spent as a taxi driver and volume in the right posterior hippocampus.
Advantages of the Maguire study
1) An advantage of the study by Maguire is that is supports the key aspects of cognitive neuroscience which combines both cognitive and biological factors to help explain internal thought processes. The study uses MRI brain scanning to investigate the hippocampus area of the brain. The study also emphasises how the brain is “like a muscle” and the more an area of the brain is used or exercised, the larger it becomes (+)
3) There is research evidence to support the idea that the right posterior hippocampus is involved in spatial awareness. Previous rodent and monkey studies have found the (posterior) hippocampus to be involved in spatial navigation. Such an involvement may also be true for the posterior part of the hippocampus in birds and rats. Therefore it seems that the right posterior hippocampus is responsible for spatial awareness in humans and animals, and the functionality of the brain is similar across many species (+)
Disadvantages of the Maguire study
2) A disadvantage of the research study is that it only investigated males which means the study lacks ecological validity and the results cannot be generalised to females. Individual differences is an important factor to consider when examining the brain and cognitive functions, and every brain is different. (-)
3) Didn’t randomly allocate their sample. Study is therefore invalid
4) Cultural bias as they only tested London taxi drivers
5) Only done the experiment 1 time so lacks validity, and doesn’t investigate the long term effects, like does the hippocampus reduce in size after they’ve stopped becoming a taxi driver
