The Cognitive Approach Flashcards
What are the key assumptions of the cognitive approach?
- The mind can be likened to a computer
- There is an input from SENSES and then an output of LANGUAGE/ BEHAVIOUR.
- Thought processes CAN and SHOULD be studied scientifically (different to behaviourist approach and social learning theory) but not directly
What are the three ways which we might deal with information from our environment or experiences?
1) Selecting information (attention) - like ‘change blindness’ studies.
2) Solving problems with given info (thinking)
3) Storing and retrieving information (memory)
ATM
Why can thought processes not be studied directly?
Thought processes cannot be seen so we therefore have to make inferences based on how people act.
What does Loftus and Palmer’s study of memory say?
It says that memory can be distorted in order to understand experiences and also that it can be distorted with other information after an event e.g. Leading questions
What did Baron- Cohen’s study show?
That behaviour can be influenced by a cognitive process called THEORY OF MIND which means acknowledging that others have different thoughts and beliefs. Baron- Cohen said that the central deficit of autism is the failure to fully develop this cognitive process of a theory of mind. (hence why that boy in primary school couldn’t understand a lot of our emotions)
What are schemas (remember: can be situations or people) ?
Cognitive frameworks which help to organise, interpret and make sense of information based on experience of the world.
How are schemas useful to us?
They are shortcuts (predictions/ expectation) to understanding how to translate information in front of you so you can make a quick and informed decision.
How might schemas lead to distortions in perception or memory?
- Can lead to stereotypes
- Ignores aspects which don’t fit expected schemas
What was the famous study which investigated schemas in memory?
Brewer and Treyens- investigated whether people’s memory for objects in a room (an office) is influenced by existing schemas about what should be in an office.
How was the schemas study carried out?
30 uni students individually waited in an office with some different objects for 35 seconds and were then taken into another room.
After a short while they were asked to verbally recall what was in the room; which items they recognised; given a drawing recall task.
What were the findings of the schemas study?
- Most participants recalled schematic objects (e.g. Desk, chair)
- Many participants recalled unexpected objects (e.g. Skull)
- Some reported things that were expected to be in the room but weren’t (e.g. Books, telephone)
CONCLUSION: office- shema information served as a retrieval mechanism in recall.
Strengths of shemas study-
- Empirical observations
- Can establish cause and effect (because scientific)
- Replicable
- Controlled environment (every participant went through same procedure) - internal validity
Weaknesses of schemas study-
- Lack of ecological validity due to high control
- Small sample (30 students)
- Only used students who had experience of this environment originally
What are models in cognitive psychology?
They are simplified representations of mental processes e.g. In memory
Give an example of a theoretical model.
Multi-Store Model: memory
Sensory —-> short-term memory —-> long-term
memory memory
What do computer models say about the mind?
That it can be likened to a computer in the way that we process information
INPUT ———> PROCESSING ——-> OUTPUT
What is the main focus of cognitive neuroscience and what two methods are used to investigate this?
To look for biological basis for thought processes and understand how the physical brain and nervous system combine with intangible factors of life to create patterns of thought and behaviours.
1) PET: fast decaying radioactive substance injected into bloodstream to see which which parts of the brain are active by detecting radioactivity
2) fMRI: measure brain activity by detecting changes associated with blood flow in the brain- done by means of powerful magnets
Give some examples of cognitive neuroscience research.
- Perceptual processes
- Studies of emotions- Bennett et Al (guilt study)
- Studies of autism (responses to emotions)
- Memory- Tulving (showed that different types of memory involve different parts of the brain
Strengths of the cognitive approach-
- Wide range of applications (almost all mental disorders)
- Scientific
- Recognises the importance of thought processes
- Provides data (from cognitive neuroscience) about brain areas with mental processes- reliable
Weaknesses of the cognitive approach-
- Humans are likened to computers
- Ignores motivations and emotions
- Lack of ecological validity
- Difficult to establish patterns in brain activity for some psychological processes
What is maladaptive thinking?
Processing information in a way that is not helpful.
What are cognitive errors?
Processing information incorrectly
therefore can also be maladaptive
What does cereal mean?
One after the other
