The Cognitive Approach Flashcards
What does the cognitive approach argue
Internal mental processes can abs should be studied scientifically
Studied indirectly by making inferences based on their observable behaviour
Inference
Where a psychologist makes a reasoned conclusion about mental processes based on observable behaviour
- allow cognitive psychologists to develop theories and models
The role of schema
- a package of ideas or information developed through experience
- allow us to take cognitive shortcuts in interpreting vast amounts of info
- these mental frameworks can tell us what to expect but cause us to focus on pre-existing beliefs and we may ignore contradicting perceptions
Schemas
- eg an existing schemas about immigrants may lead to interpreting situations incorrectly
- when an event happens that changed these existing beliefs, people may come up with alternative explanations that uphold and support their excising schema rather than adapting or changing their beliefs
- confirmatory bias
Schemas can contribute to stereotypes and make it difficult to retain new information that does not conform to established ideas
Experiences and new information can adapt and change schemas
The development of schemas
- a young child may develop a schema for a horse (size , 4 legs and a tail ) and may encounter a cow and call it a horse
- once they are told this is different, they can modify their existing schema for a horse and creat a new one for a cow
Research evidence for schema theory
Bugelski and Alampay- 2 groups of participants shown pictures of faces or animals
- they were then shown the ‘rat man’ an ambiguous picture that can look like both a man and a rat
Pp who were shown faces were more likely to see a man
Pp who were shown animals were more likely to see a rat
Supports schemas of animals and faces
Theoretical models
One way to study internal processes
Eg information processing approach which suggests information flows through the cognitive system in a sequence of stages (input, storage and retrieval) -MSM
Computer models
Start of the use of computers allowed psychologists to try and understand the complexities of human cognition by comparing the mind to a computer
Suggesting there are similarities in the way information is processed
These models use the concept of a central processing unit (brain), the use of coding to turn information into usable formats and the use of stores to hold information
Computational models have proved useful in artificial intelligence
Cognitive neuroscience
Scientific study of how brain structures affect mental processes
1860s - Paul Broca identifies an area of the frontal lobe which when damaged affected the ability to speak (Broca’s area)
Brain imaging techniques (FMRI +PET scans) allow us to identify activity in specific areas of the brain and establish neurological basis to some mental disorders
Eg parahippocampal gyrus associated with processing unpleasant emotions -functions abnormally in people with OCD
Cognitive neuroscience 2
- neurosurgeons can place an electrode on various areas of the exposed brain of an awake patient during surgery and have then describe what they think
- cognitive neuroscience has expanded to include the use of computer generated models to read the brain
- lead to mapping techniques( brain fingerprinting) which could be used to analyse brain wave patterns of eyewitness to see if they are telling the truth
Evaluation of the cognitive approach - strengths
:) - useful applications in psychopathology to explain dysfunctional behaviour and how it can trace back to faulty thinking processes - depression anxiety and OCD treatment using CBT
uses scientific and objective methods - highly controlled and rigorous produce reliable data due to lab studies - psychology credible scientific basis
Evaluation of the cognitive approach - weakness
:( - inferences have to be made from behaviour to mental processes cognitive psychology could be too abstract and theoretical and using artificial stimuli may not be representative of everyday experiences
:( - computers don’t make mistakes abs have human error so reduces validity of the comparison
