The cognitive approach Flashcards
Define internal mental processes.
Private actions or processes of the mind that mediate stimulus and response.
Define inferences.
Going beyond the immediate evidence to make assumptions about mental processes that cannot be directly observed.
What are computer models?
The process of using computer analogies as a representation of human thinking.
Input -> processing -> storage -> output
What are theoretical models?
Simplified representations of the way mental processes work. They are based on current research.
e.g. the multistore model of memory
What are schema?
Organised units of knowledge that we have developed through experiences.
Why are schema useful?
3
They enable us to process lots of information quickly.
Mental short-cut that prevents us from being overwhelmed by environmental stimuli.
Help us predict what will happen based on our experiences.
What is a limitation of schema?
4
They can distort our interpretation of sensory information.
They can pose problems in eyewitness testimony (inaccurate recall).
Can contribute to the development of negative self schemas (depression).
Can cause prejudice and bias.
Define cognitive neuroscience
The scientific study of the influence of brain structures on mental processes.
Describe Broca’s findings as an example for the development of cognitive neuroscience.
Linked the mental process of language (speech production) to a biological structure in the left frontal lobe (now referred to as Broca’s area).
Describe the work of the memory researcher, Tulving.
When patients in a PET scan thought of episodic memories a different area of the brain was activated to when participants thought about semantic memories.
Evaluation points.
+ Use of laboratory studies allows for inferences to be made. Cognitive neuroscience has allowed for the merging of cognitivism and biology.
- Relies on inferences. These may be too abstract or theoretical in nature. The use of artificial stimuli in research may limit generalisability.
- Machine reductionism ignores the influence of human emotion and motivation on the cognitive system, and how this may affect our ability to process information.
+ Real world application: important contribution in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) and the development of ‘thinking machines’ (robots). Cognitive principles have also been applied to the treatment of depression and improved the reliability of eyewitness testimony.
