The Cognitive Approach

Question 1

The Approach - (A01)

Answer 1

Assumptions - Internal mental processes can be studied through interference.

The role of schema - Beliefs and expectations affect thoughts and behaviour.
Innate (e.g. sucking schema) or learned.
Mental shortcut, leads to perceptual errors.

Theoretical and computer models - Information processing approach.
Mind is linked to a computer and applied to Artificial intelligence.

The emergence of cognitive neuroscience - Scientific study of how brain structure affect mental processes. 
Biological structures link to mental e.g. Broca and Tulving et al.
Brain imaging (e.g. fMRI) used to read the brain.

Question 2

The cognitive approach - Evaluation (A03)

Answer 2

Scientific methods - Lab studies to produce reliable, objective data.
Cognitive neuroscience is scientific.
Counterpoint - use of interference and artificial stimuli lead to low external validity.

Real-world application - Successfully applied to the fields of artificial intelligence, depression and eyewitness testimony.

Machine reductionism - Computer analogy is too simple, it ignores the influence of emotion e.g. effect of anxiety on eyewitness testimony.

Evaluation extra: Soft determinism - Cognitive approach is an example of soft determinism, a middle-ground and more reasonable than behaviourism.