The cognitive approach Flashcards
What is cognitive psychology?
The study of how people think, learn, remember and process information
When did the cognitive approach first arise?
In the 1950s with the arrival of computers
What are the key assumptions of cognitive psychology?
- the human mind is an information processor, like a computer
- nature and nurture interact to affect memory
The computer analogy
The brain processes information like a linear storage system with inputs and outputs that encodes information that is then stored and retrieved when necessary
Define ‘information processing’
The mind works like a computer in that it processes information in terms of input, storage and retrieval
Define ‘encoding’
The formant in which information is stored in the various memory stores
Define ‘storage’
The process of holding information in memory
Define ‘retrieval’
The process of transferring information from LTM to STM, recalling information
Define ‘capacity’
The amount of information that can be held in a memory store
Define ‘duration’
The length of time information can be held in memory
