The Cognitive Approach Flashcards
What does the cognitive approach focus on?
How internal mental processes affect behaviour.
What are the main assumptions of the cognitive approach?
-Internal processes can be studied in labs by inferring thoughts from behaviour.
-The human mind works like a computer: input for the senses, output through the behaviour.
What are humans seen as in the cognitive approach?
Information processers.
How information is ________ by the brain directs how we ________.
Processed, behave.
How is human behaviour to be understood?
Internal mental processes must be studied.
Mental processes ________ between the stimulus and the response.
Mediate.
What are schemas?
‘Mental frameworks’ that provide shortcuts to processing large amounts of data (to prevent sensory overload).
What are schemas also known as?
Packets of information.
What are the drawbacks to schema?
-We might develop stereotypes, leading to prejudice.
-Can cause bias recall, based on what we expect to see.
We have to make ________ about mental processes and thoughts as we would ________ be able to ________ them (they’re private).
Inferences, never, see.
What is the computer model?
An analogy of how the brain works like a computer.
How does a computer model apply to humans?
Input- sensory information.
Processing- brain.
Output- perceptions, memories.
What is an example of a computer model?
Input- touch something hot.
Processing- process that it’s hot.
Output- move our hand away.
Why are processes broken down?
Researchers can more easily test individual elements of a theory.
What is cognitive neuroscience?
The scientific study of relating brain structures to mental processes.
Why is brain scanning technology used?
It allows scientists to describe the role of different parts of the brain in mental processing.
What sort of brain scanning techniques are used?
PET and fMRI.
What are practical applications of cognitive neuroscience?
-Scanning/imaging techniques to study mental processes in sufferers of depression, schizophrenia, etc.
-Imaging techniques to study the effect of normal ageing of the brain.
What are strengths of the cognitive approach?
-Scientific approach.
-Real life applications (e.g. dysfunctional behaviour), contributing to CBT.
What are weaknesses of the cognitive approach?
-Machine Reductionism: humans are unpredictable and cannot be likened to an inanimate object.
-Emphasis on lab experiments, low ecological validity.
Do cognitive therapists call people they’re helping ‘patients’ or ‘clients’?
Clients.
Why are people who are being treated called ‘clients’ instead of ‘patients’?
Patients are being treated, whereas clients are suggested to take control of their own treatment, guiding them to self-accountable.
