The Cognitive Approach Flashcards
What was the cognitive approach a response to?
The behaviourists failure to acknowledge mental processes
What is one way to study internal processes?
By using theoretical models
What is the information processing approach?
The idea that information flows through the cognitive system in a sequence of stages including input, storage, and retrieval
What are computer models?
Where the mind is compared to a computer by suggesting that there are similarities in the way information is processed
Who came up with the term schema?
Jean Piaget
What do schemas allow us to do?
Build ideas of concepts and what to do
Fill in the blanks and know what is expected in a situation
How can schemas limit us?
They can limit beliefs, lead to closed minds, and lead to stereotypes
How can schemas create stereotypes?
If we always fill in the blanks it can lead to certain expectations/stereotypes
Can we change our schemas?
Yes, however you have to be open to change and ‘unlearn’ harmful stereotypes
What is cognitive neuroscience?
The scientific study of the influence brain structures have on mental processes
What did Paul Broca identify?
How damage to an area of the frontal lobe could permanently impair speech production
What do FMRI and PET scans allow us to do?
Systematically observe and describe the neurological basis of mental processes
What have scanning techniques allowed us to do?
Establish the neurological basis of some mental disorders
What has the use of computer-generated models led to?
The development of mind mapping techniques
What are the strengths of the cognitive approach?
Practical application
Scientific (increases reliability)
