The Cognitive Approach Flashcards
What does the cognitive approach argue?
That mental processes should be studied e.g. Studying perception or memory
What Is inference?
The idea that mental processes are ‘private’ and cannot be observed.
How did cognitive psychologists study inference?
By making inferences (assumptions) about what is going on inside people’s heads on the basis of their behaviour.
Define inference
An assumption
What is a theoretical model?
The informational processing approach suggests that information flows through a sequence of stages that include input, storage and retrieval as in the msm.
What does the ‘computer analogy’ suggest?
There are similarities in how computers and human minds process information e.g. The central processor (brain) changes information into a useable code.
Define a schema
A package of information developed through experience.
What is the role of a schema?
They act as a ‘mental framework’ for interpretation of incoming information received by the cognitive system.
Why are babies different when it comes to schemas?
They are born with simple motor schemas for innate behaviours such as sucking.
What happens to our schemas as we get older?
They become more detailed and sophisticated
Define cognitive neuroscience
The scientific study of the influence of the brain structure (neuros) on mental processes (cognition).
What has neuroscience enabled to happen?
Due to the advance of brain scanning technology over the past 20 years scientists have been able to describe the neurological basis of mental processing including research that links to episodic and semantic memory.
Why have scanning new techniques been proven useful?
They help to establish a neurological basis of some orders such as OCD.
Name one strength of the cognitive approach
It uses scientific and objective methods - cognitive psychologists have always carried out controlled and rigorous methods of study such as lab studies which has enabled psychology and biology to come together (cognitive neuroscience) giving the research a more credible scientific basis.
Name one weakness of the cognitive approach
Lacks ecological validity - the psychologists can only infer mental processes from the behaviour they observe which means research can sometimes suffer from the results being too abstract.
