The cognitive approach Flashcards
Assumptions
Cognitive approach
Argues that internal mental processes can be studied scientifcally
Cog app investiages areas of human behaviour neglected by behaviourists (i.e. memory, perception & thinking)
These processes are private & cannot be observed so cog psychologists study them indirectly by making inferences about what is going on inside people’s minds on basis of their behaviour
The role of schema
Cognitive approach
Schema are ‘packages’ of ideas & info developed through experience
Act as mental framework for interpretation of incoming info recieved by cog system
Babies born w/ simple motor schema for innate behaviours such as grasping
As we get older, our schema become more detailed & sophisticated
Adults have developed schema fro everything
Schema enable us to process lots of info quickly & this is useful as a mental shortcut that prevents us from being overwhelmed by environmental stimuli
However, schema may also distort our interpretations of sensory info, leading to perceptual errors
Theoretical & computer models
Cognitive approach
Cog psychologists use theoretical & computer models to help understand internal mental processes
Theoretical models are abstracts whereas computer models are concrete things
One important theoretical model is info processing approach (IPA) which suggests info flows through cog system in stages
These include input, storage & retrival
This IPA is based on way that computers function but a computer model would involve actually programming a computer to see if such instructions produce similar outpit to humans
If they do, we can suggest similar processes are going on in human mind
Such computationla models of mind have proved useful in development of ‘thinking machines’ or AI
Evaluation: Scientific methods
Cognitive approach
Strength: uses objective, scientific methods
Cog psychs employ highly controlled & rigorous methods of study so researchers can infer cog processes at work
Involves use of lab studies to produce reliable objective data
In addition, emergence of cog neuroscience has enabled 2 fields of bio & cog pyschology to come together to enhance scientific basis of study
Therefore, study of mind has credible scientific basis
Evaluation: Scientific methods (Counterpoint)
Cognitive approach
However, cog pyschology relies on inference of mental processes, rather than direct observation of behaviour, it can occasionally suffer from being too abstract & theoretical in nature
Similarly, research studies of mental processes are often carried out using artifical stimuli that may not represent everyday experience
Therefore, research on cog processes may lack external validity
Evaluation: Real-world application
Cognitive approach
Strength: has practical application
Cog app is dominant app in pyschology today
Has been applied to wide range of practical & theoretical contexts
E.g. cog psychology has made important contribution in field of AI & development of robots
These are exciting advances that revolutionise how we live in the future
Cog principles have been applied to treatment of depp & improved reliability of eyewitness testimony
Supports value of cog app
Evaluation: Machine reductionism
Cognitive approach
Limit: based on machine reductionism
Similarities between human mind & operations of ‘thinking machines’
However, computer analogy ignored influence of human emotion & motivation on cog system & how this affects our ability to process info (i.e. influence of anxity on eyewitnesses)
Therefore, machine reductionism may weaken validity of cog app
Emergence of cognitive neuroscience
Cognitive approach
Scientific study of influence of brain structures on mental processes
In the 1860s Broca indentified an area of frontal lobe could permanently impair speech production
In last 25 years, w/ advances in brain scanning techniques (fMRI & PET) that scientists have been able to systematically observe & describe the neurological basis of mental processes
E.g. research involving taks that required use of episodic & semantic mem - Buckner & Petersen were able to show these diff types of LTM may be located on oppo sides of prefrontal cortex
Also CE is thought to reside in similar area
Scanning techs also provde useful in establishing neurological basis of some mental disorders
Parahippocampal gyrus is thought to be linked to OCD - appears to play role in processing unpleasant emotions
Focus on cog neuroscience has expanded recently to include use of computer-generated models designed to ‘read’ the brain
Led to development of mind-mapping techniques known as ‘brain fingerprinting’
One possible future application of this cold be to analyse brain wave patterns of eyewitnesses to determine whether they’re lying in court
