The Cognitive Approach Flashcards
What does cognitive mean
Thought process of the brain
What is a schema
A schema is a collection of information in your mind that creates a framework which influences cognitive processes
Wundt: What does the approach use to suggest the cause of behaviour
Introspection
Define inference
Making assumptions on mental processes that cannot be directly observed/going beyond the immediate research evidence
What do schemas do
-schemas help to predict what will happen in our world based on our experiences
-schema enable us to process vast amounts of information rapidly
-schema can distort our interpretation of sensory information
- schema leads to inaccurate information
Who’s research supports the idea of schemas
Bartlett (1932) the war of the ghosts
(You don’t need to know it in depth)
What are theoretical models made out of
Boxes and flow charts
What do theoretical models show
The cause and effect of a mental process
What’s good about theoretical models
They’re easy to read, interpret and understand and can also be adapted and changed
What’s a example of a theoretical models
Computer models
- the brain is an easy comparison to a computer
How can a computer be compared to the brain
The hard drive - our long term memory
The RAM - working memory
The Monitor - actions
The keyboard - sense organs
What is cognitive neuroscience
The scientific study of the brain
What does cognitive neuroscience look for
Structures, mechanisms, and processing that are responsible for the thinking processes
What is a strength of cognitive approach
-this is more scientific than other theories as brain matter is directly observable meaning behaviour is more than an assumption this puts emphasis on the scientific method to ensure cause and effect, validity and reliability
-influenced new therapies that are well recognised such as cognitive behavioural therapy
what is a limitation of cognitive approach
P:One limitation of the cognitive approach in psychology is that it uses computer models to explain human coding.
E:However, there is an important difference between the sort of information processing that takes place within a computer program and the information processing that takes place within the human mind. E:Computers do not make mistakes, nor do they forget anything that has been stored
L: whereas humans do make mistakes meaning there is low validity
P: Another limitation is that although the cognitive approach can tell us how different cognitive processes take place, it fails to tell us why they do.
E: The role of emotion and motivation has been largely ignored by this approach.
L:The lack of focus on motivational states may be explained by the overdependence on information-processing analogies, as motivation is clearly irrelevant to a computer, but not to a human being.
