The cognitive approach Flashcards
What is the definition of the Cognitive approach?
the term cognitive has come to mean mental processes, so this approach is focused on how our mental processes (thoughts, perceptions, attention) affect behaviour.
What are the Internal mental processes?
Internal mental processes: private operations of the mind such as perception and attention that mediate between stimulus and response.
What is a Schema?
a mental framework of beliefs and expectations that influence cognitive processing, they are developed from experience. an example would be a schema of a chair, a four legged object in which you sit on
What is an Inference?
It is the process that consists of cognitive psychologists drawing conclusions about the way mental processes operate on the basis of observed behaviour.
What is Cognitive neuroscience?
It is the scientific study of biological structures that
underpin cognitive processes.
When was the cognitive approach developed and why?
The cognitive approach was developed in the 1960’s as a response to the
behaviourists’ failure to acknowledge mental processes.
What are the qualities of the information processing approach.
This model suggests that information flows through the cognitive system in a sequence of stages that include: input, storage (processor) and output.
What does the input stage in the information processing approach suggest
Input comes from the environment via the senses and is encoded by the individual.
What does the storage in the information processing approach suggest
The information once encoded can be processed/stored. An example of this processing is schemas (blocks of knowledge).
What does the output stage in the information processing approach suggest
The output is the behavioural response following on from the processing.
What are the similarities of the brain and a computer
They both take data from outside
and code it.
They are both capable of storage
(memory).
They both have the capacity to work
on material, i.e. transform it in
some way.
What are the differences of the brain and a computer
Computer coding, etc., is not
affected by emotions.
Computer code has been directly
inputted but humans add meaning
to the input they receive through the
senses, e.g. perception and
interpretation.
Computers always pay attention to
inputs; however, humans can direct
their attention away from one
input and to another, e.g. when
someone else is having a more
interesting conversation!
The inputs that humans receive are
via various senses while those for
computers are via keyboards or
through microphones, etc.
What are the strengths of the cognitive approach
The methods used, such as controlled lab experiments are reliable and produce objective data
There are real world applications such as treatment for illnesses, which increases validity
What are the weaknesses of the cognitive approach
It is oversimplified/reductionism, as it ignores influence of emotion and motivation.
