The cognitive approach Flashcards
give the 3 key assumptions of the cognitive approach
- internal processes can and should be studied scientifically
- mental processes (also known as information processing) are seen to work in a similar way to how a computer processes information
- models are used to represent internal mental processes which may be hard to observe
what is the definition of inference
the process of drawing conclusions about general patterns or behaviour from a specific observation
what does the information processing model explain
how to receive, interpret, and respond to information
describe the information processing model
information from the senses is inputted
this information is processed and relevant information is retrieved
an output response to the information such as decision making or speaking happens
give an example of the IPM
the brain inputs the sight of the road and passing cars
the brain retrieves the information about how to safely cross the road
this information is outputted, and the person crosses the road when its safe
what concepts does the computer model use
central processing (like the brain), coding to turn information into something we can use, and the use of stores to hold information
what are schemas
mental structures which contain ideas and scripts about the world, they give us expectations and rules about what to do in certain situations
how are schemas developed
experience
how does Piaget refer to schemas
‘a package of knowledge about an object, possessed by a young infant’
what happens when new information is consistent with a scheme
it is assimilated into the schema
what happens when new information is inconsistent with the schema
accommodation occurs, and the schema changes
what are the 3 different types of schemas
- self schemas
- role schemas
- event schemas
what are self schemas
schemas which contain information about ourselves based on our personality and physical characteristics (if a person ahs negative self schemas like ‘I’m useless’, they are ore likely to be unmotivated and depressed)
what are role schemas
ideas about a kind of behaviour that is expected of someone in a certain role (teachers are expected to have good manners and not swear)
what are event schemas
also known as ‘scripts’, they contain information about what happens in a certain situation (e.g. a dance class)
what is cognitive neuroscience
the scientific study of how different brain structures are involved in different mental processes
give examples of modern technology which has allowed this field to emerge
fMRI, CT and PET scans
what did Paul Broca identify (and when)
in the 1860s Broca identified a part of the brain associated with speech (an area in the frontal lobe which is now known as Broca’s area)
how does cognitive neuroscience help to understand psychology
- helps to understand how the brain supports different cognitive activities and emotions
- can understand which parts of the brain are linked to memory processes such as short and long-term memory
- help to understand the neurological basis of mental disorders
strengths of the cognitive approach
- Good applicability because the models help to explain internal mental processes
- The approach provides a strong focus on internal mental processes, which behaviourists before did not
- The approach uses scientific experimental methods which increases its validity
weaknesses of the cognitive approach
- It could be argued that cognitive models over-simplify explanations for complex mental processes.
- The data supporting cognitive theories often come from unrealistic tasks used in laboratory experiments, which reduces the ecological validity
- Comparing a human mind to a machine or computer is arguably an unsophisticated analogy
