the cognitive approach Flashcards
what does the cognitive approach argue?
internal mental processes should be studied scientifically
what are the assumptions of the cognitive approach?
- the mind actively processes info about the senses
- between stimulus and response is a complex process, which can be studied scientifically
- there is a relationship between an individuals thought processes and their behaviour
what does the cognitive approach investigate?
areas of human behaviour neglected by behaviourism e.g. memory, perception and thinking
what do cognitive psychologists make?
inferences about what is going on inside people’s minds
how does the cognitive approach study internal mental processes?
- theoretical models
- computer models
what are theoretical models?
the information processing approach is a theoretic model which suggests that info flows through the cognitive system
- in a sequence of input, storage and retrieval
what is an example of a theoretical model?
the WMM
what are computer models?
the mind is compared to a computer
- similarities in the way info is processed
- central processing unit (brain) -> coding (changing format of info) -> use of stores (holding info)
what is a schema?
a cognitive framework that helps organise and interpret info in the brain
how do schema’s work?
- schema’s are developed through experience
- schema’s for different events are based on expectations of how to behave in certain situations or roles
- we don’t have schema’s for every social situation, what you don’t remember your brain should fill in for you
what are the strengths of schema’s?
- they provide us with mental shortcuts that prevent us from being overwhelmed by environmental stimulus
- help us process vast amounts of info quickly
- help us predict what will happen based on past experiences, can be useful in keeping us safe
what are the weaknesses of schema’s?
- can distort our perception of sensory info
- can lead to inaccurate EWT
- negative or faulty schema’s can have detrimental effects on mental health
- can develop stereotypes that are hard to change
who developed a series of stages of cognition?
Piaget
what did Piaget argue?
Piaget believed that cognition develops through a series of stages
- each new state builds on the previous one
what are the 4 stages?
- sensory-motor
- pre-operational
- concrete operational
- formal operational