SCIENTIFIC STATUS Flashcards
What does the cognitive approach support: idiographic or nomothetic?
Nomothetic, as everyone has a schema.
What strength does the nomothetic nature of the cognitive approach offer?
Allows scientific predictions and comparison between groups.
What is a limitation of the nomothetic nature?
It ignores the uniqueness of individuals.
Why is the cognitive approach considered deterministic?
Because of the Negative Thought Triad, which suggests thoughts are predetermined.
What is a potential benefit of determinism in cognitive psychology?
It can take away guilt by removing individual accountability.
What is a limitation of determinism in this approach?
It removes personal responsibility for behaviour.
Why is the cognitive approach considered reductionist?
It simplifies the brain to being like a computer.
What is a strength of the reductionist approach?
It is scientific and testable.
What is a limitation of the reductionist approach?
It oversimplifies complex human behaviour.
How does the cognitive approach relate to the nature/nurture debate?
It fails to fully account for the nature/nurture debate.
Does the cognitive approach consider both internal and external factors?
Yes, it considers the influence of both on behaviour.
What is a criticism related to the nature/nurture aspect of the cognitive approach?
It fails to fully explore the nature/nurture debate.
What is one way the cognitive approach has been useful?
It has influenced many areas of psychology.
How has the cognitive approach contributed to understanding mental disorders?
It has helped develop treatments for disorders like depression.
How has the cognitive approach contributed to the legal system?
It has improved understanding of eyewitness testimony reliability.
How has the cognitive approach impacted education?
Theories on children’s thinking (e.g. Piaget, 1970) have guided teaching practices.
Why is the cognitive approach considered scientific?
It is based on evidence, not opinion.
What research methods support the scientific nature of the cognitive approach?
Controlled experiments.
What are scientific results in cognitive psychology used for?
Making inferences about mental processes.
Why is objectivity considered a strength of this approach?
Results can be interpreted the same way by different psychologists.
What allows cognitive psychology studies to be replicated?
Standardised, controlled experimental designs.
How do cognitive theories meet scientific criteria?
They generate testable and falsifiable predictions.
What human trait challenges the computer analogy?
Humans make mistakes and forget things, unlike computers.
What type of behaviour is difficult for the cognitive approach to explain?
Irrational behaviour.
