the cognitive approach

Question 1

what is the cognitive approach a response to?

Answer 1

the behaviourist approach. as behaviourists argue that we can’t study mental processes.

Question 2

why does the cognitive approach assume that we must study mental processes

Answer 2

because behaviour can’t just be explained by stimulus and response

Question 3

what are the assumptions of the cognitive approach?

Answer 3

• we must study mental processes.

- the mind works like a computer

Question 4

what are three important mental processes?

Answer 4

memory, perception and attention

Question 5

what does perception mean?

Answer 5

-this refers to how the mind senses stimuli

Question 6

what does attention mean?

Answer 6

referring to how the mind selects which stimuli to focus on.

Question 7

what does memory mean?

Answer 7

referring to how the mind stores stimuli

Question 8

what do cognitive psychologists assume the mind works like

Answer 8

a computer

Question 9

why do cognitive psychologists assume the mind works like a computer?

Answer 9

cognitive psychologists assume that the mind works like a computer, because stimuli are like inputs, then the mind processes those inputs, and then the behaviour is like an output

Question 10

what is the model of how the mind works called?

Answer 10

information processing model

Question 11

what do the behaviourist and cognitive approach not share in common?

Answer 11

• cognitive psychologists believe that we should study mental processes, but behaviourists believe that we can’t.
• behaviourists believe that human participation is not necessary but cognitive psychologists do use human participants.

Question 12

what do cognitive psychologists and behavioural psychologists have in common?

Answer 12

• both study the mind

- both think that past experiences influence future behaviour

Question 13

what does the cognitive approach use to explain how mental processes work?

Answer 13

theoretical models

Question 14

what does the cognitive approach involve

Answer 14

using inference to refine theoretical models

Question 15

what does making an inference mean?

Answer 15

reaching a conclusion about mental processes, based on observations of behaviour

Question 16

how do cognitive psychologists test theoretical models?

Answer 16

by measuring behaviour in order to make inferences about mental processes

Question 17

colleen observed that participants could only recall one sound when two were played at the same time. she inferred from this that ….

Answer 17

we can only pay attention to one sound at at time

Question 18

what type of capacity do mental processes have

Answer 18

an limited capacity

Question 19

what order to mental processes occur in?

Answer 19

mental processes usually occur in sequence but sometimes occur in parallel

Question 20

if everyone’s scheme is informed by their own experiences what does this mean?

Answer 20

different people will have different schemas

Question 21

what is a schema?

Answer 21

mental frameworks built up from our past experiences

Question 22

what do schema’s affect?

Answer 22

our expectations and our behaviour

Question 23

what does it mean when something is assimilated into our schema

Answer 23

when a new experience matches our schema and is incorporated into our schema

Question 24

what does it mean when an experience matches our schema

Answer 24

we say that it has assimilated into our schema

Question 25

what must we do if an experience doesn’t match our schema

Answer 25

we must accommodate our schema

Question 26

what did Bartlett do in his study on schema’s

Answer 26

• Bartlett had English participants read a Navajo folk tale
• Bartlett asked ppt to recall the folk tale
• Bartlett measured how may details they got wrong
• bartlett found that ppt changed details to match their own schemas

Question 27

why do cognitive psychologists measure observable behaviour ?

Answer 27

to make inferences about how mental processes work, in order to test theoretical models of mental processes

Question 28

what did Bartlett conduct his study on?

Answer 28

Bartlett conducted research into schema theory

Question 29

strengths of the cognitive approach?

Answer 29

• uses the scientific method to study mental processes. the cognitive approach is highly scientific , because cognitive psychologists make inferences based on observable behaviour meaning that they rely on empirical evidence. they conduct laboratory experiments with high control over extraneous variables. and their theories are falsifiable.
• can be used to understand and treat mental disorders e.g. cognitive behavioural therapy

Question 30

what type of studies does the cognitive approach conduct?

Answer 30

laboratory experiments

Question 31

limitations of the cognitive approach?

Answer 31

• laboratory experiments that are used may lack ecological validity because lab experiments may not reflect how we use mental processes in our everyday life
• ignores the possibility of individual differences in mental processes

Question 32

what does the cognitive approach involve

Answer 32

involves making theoretical models about how mental schema’s work

Question 33

what type of approach is the cognitive approach ?

Answer 33

nomothetic approach as it involves coming up with theories and laws about how everyone’s mental processes work