The Cognitive Approach

Question 1

What is cognition?

Answer 1

Means thinking. Focuses on how people perceive, store, manipulate, interpret info. Received through senses, processed by systems in the brain.

Question 2

What are 4 examples of internal mental processes?

Answer 2

Attention (selecting important info), thinking (using it to solve problems), storage (holding it in memory), retrieval (remembering it when its needed)

Question 3

What is inference?

Answer 3

Reaching a logical conclusion on the basis of evidence and reasoning. Allows psychologists to develop theories about mental processes hating led to observed behaviour.

Question 4

What are theoretical computer models?

Answer 4

Suggests brain operates like a computer. Information processing model suggests information flows through cognitive system in sequence of stages, based on serial processing and is linear.

Question 5

What is the information processing model?

Answer 5

Input-processing-output
Inputted through senses-encoded into memory and combined with existing info-task completed.

Question 6

What is a schema+example?

Answer 6

Cognitive framework which helps to organise/interpret info in memory and is based on experience. Allow us to process lots of info quickly, environmental stimuli not as overwhelming. E.g. secondary school not as overwhelming as education schema already built by primary school.

Question 7

What is cognitive neuroscience?

Answer 7

Scientific study of the influence of brain structures on mental processes. Use of brain scans, post-mortems, study of neurotypical/diverse individuals to locate physical basis of cognitive processes in brain.

Question 8

Brocas area

Answer 8

Damage affects speech production, in frontal lobe.

Question 9

Wernickes area

Answer 9

Damage affects speech comprehension, in temporal lobe.

Question 10

Evaluate the cognitive approach

Answer 10

Strength: Scientific. Use objective scientific methods that are highly controlled. Including lab studies which produce reliable results and infer cognitive processes at work. Cognitive neuroscience allowed biological and cognitive to come together to enhance scientific basis. High internal validity.
Strength: Holistic. Considers nature and nurture. Behaviour is result of info processing and has biological origin (nature) but concepts like schema modified by environment (nurture). High internal validity.
Weakness: Too abstract. Relies on inference of mental processes rather than direct observation, can be too abstract in nature. Research studies often carried out using artificial stimuli e.g. word lists which dont represent everyday experience, so some research may lack external validity.

Question 11

Evaluate the cognitive approach acronym

Answer 11

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+ H
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