the cognitive approach Flashcards
what is the cognitive approach?
based on our mental processes (e.g. thoughts, perceptions, attention) affect behaviour
what are internal mental process?
‘private’ operations of the mind such as perception and attention that mediate between stimulus and response which can not be observed
what are infernces?
the process whereby cognitive psychologists draw conclusions about the way mental processes operate on the basis of observed behaviour
what is schema?
a mental framework of beliefs and expectations that influence cognitive processing, they are developed from experience
what is the role of schema?
schema are packages of info developed through experience,
act as a ‘mental framework’ for the interpretation of incoming info received by the cognitive system
babies are born with simple motor schema for innate behaviours such as sucking & grasping
as we get older, our schema become more detailed & sophisticated
why do psychologists use theoretical & computer models?
to help understand internal mental processes
what are theoretical models?
the info processing approach suggest that info flows through a sequence of stages that include input, storage & retrieval, as in the multi-store model
what are computer models?
refer to programmes that can be run on a computer to imitate the human mind for e.g. conversational machines to deal with consumer enquires, by running such a programme psychologists can test their ideas about info processing
what is the emergence of neuroscience?
the scientific study of the influence of brain structures on mental processes,
with advances in brain scanning technology in the last twenty years, scientists have been able to describe the neurological basis of mental processing,
this includes research in memory that has linked episodic & semantic memories to opposite sides of the prefrontal cortex in the brain,
scanning techniques have also proved useful in establishing the neurological basis of some disorders e.g OCD
what is the scientific methods strength?
-it uses objective, scientific methods,
-cognitive psychologists employ highly controlled and rigorous methods of study, e.g. lab studies, in order to infer cognitive processes at work,
-in addition, the 2 fields of biology and cognitive psychology come together (cognitive neuroscience) to enhance the scientific basis of study,
-this means that the study of the mind has established a credible scientific basis.
what is the counterpoint to scientific methods?
-lack external validity,
-as cognitive psychology relies on the inference of mental processes, rather than direct observation of behaviour, it can occasionally suffer from being too abstract and theoretical in nature,
-also research studies of mental processes are often carried out using artificial stimuli such as tests of memory involving word lists,
-therefore, research on cognitive processes may lack external validity and not represent everyday experience.
what is the real-world application strength?
-it has practical application to everyday life,
-the cognitive approach is dominant in psychology today and has been applied to a wide range of practical and theoretical contexts,
-for e.g. artificial intelligence (Al) and the development of robots, the treatment of depression & improving eyewitness testimony,
-this supports the value of the cognitive approach.
what is the machine reductionism limitation?
-it is based on machine reductionism,
-although there are similarities between the operations of the human mind and computers (inputs and outputs, storage systems, use of a central processor), the computer analogy has been criticised,
-for i.e. emotion & motivation have been shown to influence accuracy of recall, e.g. in eyewitness accounts. these factors are not considered within the computer analogy,
-this suggests that machine reductionism may weaken the validity of the cognitive approach.
what is the soft determinism strength?
-it has a soft determinism approach,
-the cognitive approach recognises that our cognitive system operates within certain limits, but we are free to make decisions before responding to a stimulus (soft determinism),
-this is in contrast to the behaviourist approach which suggest we are passive to the environment & lack free choice in our behaviour,
-this suggest that the cognitive approach takes a more flexible middle-ground position & is more in line with our subjective sense of free will.
