The cognitive Approach

Question 1

Describe the assumption of ‘computer analogy’ In the cognitive approach.

Answer 1

Cognitive psychologists have often compred the human mind with a computer. In very basic terms, they compare how we take in informatio (input), change it/store it (process), and then recall it when neseccary (output).
During the process stage we actively use the cognitive process of perception, attention, memory ect..
eg, mulitstore model of memory ( Aktinson and shiffrin,1968).
It was proposed information is input to the brain and moves to the short term memory and then to the long term memory.

Question 2

Describe the assumption of ‘internal mental processes’ In the cognitive approach.

Answer 2

• This approach sees human beings as information prossecors. Where essential cognitive processes all work together to enable us to make sense of, and respond to, the world around us.
• Perception,attention,memory and language all work together to help individuals understand the enviroment. eg, see a dog, how do we know its a dog? search through our memory to see if there is a ‘match’ with something we have already seen.
  *

Question 3

Describe the assumption of ‘schemas’ In the cognitive approach.

Answer 3

• Schemas are organised packets of information that re build up through experience, and stored in our long term memory.eg- our day schema.
• Generally driven by past experiences. They do not necassarily represent reality. ‘burgular’ schema, most people have not witnessed a burgulary.
• Schema scripts = going for a meal.
• schema role = a nurse.

Question 4

Using your knowledge of the cognitive approach explain how a relationship is formed.

Answer 4

• internal mental processes are essential in relationship formation. Self perception. The way we belive others to be will determine whether we desire a relationship with them. Memory: good past relationship = urger for more. Bad past = reluctant to form new relationships.
• What we know about other people may govern how we feel and act towards them (schemas). eg, dion et al (1972) demonstarted that people believe that physically attractive people also have attractive personal qualities- ‘the halo effect’

Question 5

Describe the main components of REBT.

Answer 5

• Albert Ellis focused on how faulty thinking effects behaviour, in particular irrational beliefs led to mental disorders such as depression. The main goal of REBT is to turn irrational beliefs into rational ones.
• The ABC model is a way to deal with irrational thoughts.
  -Activating event, a situation that results in feelings of frustration nd anxiety. Leading to irrational beliefs.
  -B irrtional beliefs = self defeating concequenses.
  -C Self defeating consequences.
  D- Disputing beliefs
  E- The effects of disputing.
  To change self defeating beliefs into more rational ones, become more self accepting.
• Mustabatory thinking- the sourse of irrational beliefs lies in Mustbatory thinking, thinking tht certain ideas must be true in order for a individual to be happy.
  ‘i must be pproved of or accepted.’
  ‘i must do very well or i am worthless’ individuals who hold these thoughts are likely to be unhappy or depressed.
• Unconditional rational beliefs- important ingredient in REBT is to convinse the client of their value. By changing their beliefs. However, if the therapist provides respect and appreciation of what the client does and says, faciliate a change on beliefs and attitudes.

Question 6

Evaluate the use of REBT in terms of effectiveness

Answer 6

• Research evidence- generally shown to be effective in outcome studies, eg, Meta-analysis (Engels et al 1993) conducted that REBT is an effective form of therapy for a number of disorders. 90% success rate, average 27 seconds.
• Appropriatness- not only useful for clinical populations (mental disorders) but also useful for non-clinical (lack of assertivness or exam anxiety). However, not suitable for all, some people claimed to be following REBT principles were not putting their revised beliefs into action.
• Irrtationl enviroments, REBT fails to address the very important issue that the irrational envirmonets in which clients exist beyone therapy. eg, marriages with bullying partners. The enviroments continue to produce the irrational thoughts.

Question 7

Evaluate the use of REBT in terms of ethical issues.

Answer 7

• Client distress, REBT= forceful therapy, therpist may quite aggressivley chsllenge the clients thinking using direct and confrontal methods. Can cause uneccassary anxiety to the client. Therpist nd clients beliefs may dffer, based on fundemental religious beliefs.
• What is rational?, concerns who judges an irrational thought, ‘therapist’ my think differently. Depressed people are moe ccurate in their likliness of disaster thn non-depressed.

Question 8

Describe the methodology of ‘Loftus and Palmer (1974)’

Answer 8

2 experimwnts in a laboratory using independent group design.
e1= 45 participants
e2= 150 participants.

Question 9

Describe the Procedures of ‘Loftus and Palmer (1974)’

Answer 9

• Experiment 1- pps were shown 7 clips of different traffic. After each clip pps received a questionnare, asked to give an account of the accident they’ve just seen.
  ‘how fast were the cars going when they _____into eachother?’
  Word varied, 5 groups, 9 pps in each.
  Experimient 2-b, investigated whether leading questions simply bids a persons response or actually alters their memeory that is shared.
  -Part 1- shown a film of multiple car crash actual accident lasted less than 4 seconds. ‘How fast were the cars going when they hit eachother.
  ‘How fast were the cars going when they bumped into eachother.’
  Group 3= control group No question.
  -Part 2, pps returned to the lab, asked further quuestions. ‘Did you see any broken glass.’ Was none but the people who thought the car was going faster assumed there was.**

Question 10

Describe the findings of Loftus and palmer (1974)

Answer 10

• Experiment 1-
  Smashed = 40.8 mean speed
  collided = 39.3 ms
  bumped= 38.1 ms
  hit= 34.0 ms
  contacted = 31.8 ms.
• Experiment 2- Part one same as experiment 1.
  Part 2= pps with ‘smshed’, more liekly to sy there was smashed glass.

Question 11

Describe the Conclusions of ‘Loftus and Palmer (1974)’

Answer 11

1. Response bias- wording of a question biased a persons response, so leading question can have a impact on eye witness testimony and disort a persons recollection of the details.
2. Memory is altered, the critical verb changes a persons memory.

Question 12

Evaluate ‘Loftus and Palmer (1974)’ in terms of methodology.

Answer 12

• Controlled experiments, advantage of experiemental research is that it demonstrates a casual relationship. Deliberitley manipulating the IV, can see the casual effect on the DV = casucal conclusions.
• Ecological Validity, pps watched film clips of accident not the same as witnnising a real accident. Not as emotionally aroused in the way they would be in a real accident. May not represent real life.
• The sample, US colleage students, other groups of people may be more prone to being ffected by misleading information than others. eg, age differences.

Question 13

Evaluate ‘Loftus and Palmer (1974)’ in terms of ethical issues

Answer 13

• Lack of valid consent, Loftus and Palmer did not gain valid consent from the pps. If the pps had been aware of the aims of the study may have affected their behaviour. But mild issue as pps were not psychologically harmed.
• Psychological harm, one of the critisisms of the stufy is that the pps did not witness a real accident. May not have responded to the task in the way a eye-witness testimony may respond (real)
• This study avoided any pychological harm by using film clips.

Question 14

What are the advantages of the Cognitive Approach?

Answer 14

• Mediational Processes, focuses on the important ‘processes’ that occur between stimulus and response. Psychologists have gone some way to explain how importnt mediational processes, such as perception and memory, affect the way we respond to the world around us.
• Important contributions, been applied to the feild of development psychology. ‘How childrens thinking develops’. Applied in schools, ‘Advanced memory research. the feild of eye witness testimony.
• Scientific approach, lends itself into objectivie and controlled research. eg, memory research, under laboratory conditions. PET scans and MRI scans.

Question 15

What are the weaknesses of the Cognitive Approach?

Answer 15

• Nature and nuture, fails to consider important elements of nature and nuture. Roles of genes in human cognition is ignored. Important social and culutre factors ((Nuture) are often ignored.
• Determinist approach, schemas may be differnt as they re based through direct experience. ‘social interactions’ we acquire stereotypes. eg, women with blonde hair are dumb= cultural stereotype not exactly a schema.
• Mechanistic approach, it potrays human behaviour as being like a machine, dehumanizing. Ignores social and emotional factors by basing human behaviour on the behaviour of computers. A computer is not influenced by emotion.