The Cognitive Approach

Question 1

Internal mental processes

Answer 1

operations of the mind that mediate between stimulus and response

Question 2

Schema

Answer 2

mental framework of beliefs and expectations developed from experience/ influence cognitive processing/ packages of ideas and information

Question 3

Inference

Answer 3

Drawing conclusions about the way mental processes operate on the basis of observed behaviour

Question 4

Cognitive neuroscience

Answer 4

The scientific study of the influence of brain structures on cognitive processes

Question 5

Areas neglected by behaviourism

Answer 5

Memory, perception, and thinking

Question 6

Information processing approach

Answer 6

Information flows through the cognitive system in a series of stages (input>storage>retrieval)

Question 7

Computer models/ the computer analogy

Answer 7

Comparing the way the human mind processes information to how computers do

Question 8

Similarities between the mind and computers

Answer 8

Central processing unit/ coding/ stores

Question 9

How do cognitive psychologists think the mind works?

Answer 9

It has an input from our senses which it then processes and produces an output such as a language or specific behaviour

Question 10

What is the role of a schema?

Answer 10

Enables us to process lots of information quickly (a mental short-cut) that prevents us from being overwhelmed by environmental stimuli

Question 11

What can be an issue with schema?

Answer 11

It may distort our interpretations of sensory information, leading to perceptual errors

Question 12

What is cognitive neuroscience (CNS)?

Answer 12

The scientific study of the influence of brain structures on mental processes

Question 13

What is a PET scan?

Answer 13

Measures the blood flow in the brain

Question 14

What is an fMRI scan?

Answer 14

Measures brain activity

Question 15

What are the cognitive approaches’ main methods of investigation?

Answer 15

1) Laboratory experiments for example, memory test under strictly controlled conditions
2) Case studies of individuals who have lost cognitive function as a result of brain damage

Question 16

Emergence of Cognitive Neuroscience

Answer 16

Scientific study on the influencr of brain structures and mapping brain areas to specific cognitive functions. Brain imaging technology has also emerged such as fMRI and PET scans.

Question 17

Cognitive Neuroscience: Tulving et al…

Answer 17

Required the use of episodic and semantic memory. They were able to identify how different types of long term memory may be located on opposite sides of the prefrontal cortex.

Question 18

Scanning Techniques

Answer 18

Have proved useful in establishing the neurological basis of some mental disorders. Through scanning techniques, mind mapping techniques known as brain fingerprinting have been developed. A possible use of this could be to analyse brain wave patterns of eyewitnesses to determine whether they lie or not.

Question 19

Evaluation: Scientific/Objective Methods

Answer 19

Cognitive methods involve highly controlled and rigorous methods in order to infer cognitive processes at work. This provides reliable objective data.

Question 20

Evaluation: Machine Reductionism

Answer 20

Although similarities between the mind and computers, machine reductionism ignores the influence on human emotion and motivation.

Question 21

Evaluation: Application

Answer 21

Psychologists can only infer mental processes from observed behaviour. As a consequence, cognitive psychology can be too abstract and theoretical and experimental studies have been carried out using artificial stimuli. Meaning it can lack experimental validity.

Question 22

Evaluation: Extra

Deterministic

Answer 22

It suggests that our cognitive system can only operate within the limits of what we know, but we are free to think before responding to a stimulus.