The Cognitive Approach (AP P2)

Question 1

What is the cognitive approach?

Answer 1

• Mental processes can/should be studied scientifically
• Make inferences about processes happening in people’s minds
• How our mental processes affect behaviour

Question 2

What are internal mental processes?

Answer 2

Private actions/processes of the mind that mediate stimulus and response

Question 3

eg internal mental processes

Answer 3

• Perception
• Memory
• Language
• Problem solving
• Attention

Question 4

Multi store model of memory

Answer 4

attention consolidation
—> —>
Sensory->sensory-> STM-> LTM
inform register
-ation

Question 5

Input, storage and retrieval

Answer 5

retrieval
<—
Input: Program: Output:
transfer transfer
—> —>
Sensory sequence perception,
info of mental memory,
operations behaviour

Question 6

Comparing to computer model

Answer 6

• CPU: brain
• Coding: info changed into useable format (electrical signals/engrams)
• Stores: sensory/STM/LTM

Question 7

Development of AI (evaluation)

Answer 7

Cognitive psychologists made. significant contribution to AI/robots, exciting advances that may revolutionise how we live in future

Question 8

Models are oversimplified- machine reductionism (evaluation)

Answer 8

• Reducing human personality and behaviour to level of a computer
• Neglecting role of emotions on actions
• Doesn’t recognise how much more complex human beings are than machines

Question 9

How are schema’s useful?

Answer 9

• Help us process info quickly
• Mental short cut preventing us being overwhelmed by environmental stimuli
• Predict what will happen based on past experiences

Question 10

How are schema’s less useful?

Answer 10

• Interpretation of what you may hear/see is influenced by expectations
• Problematic in eye witness testimonies (inaccurate recall)
• Mental health: develop negative self schemas (e.g depression)

Question 11

What was Bartlett’s War of the Ghosts Study

Answer 11

• 20 pps to read ‘war of ghosts’ story (based on Native American culture, strange to western culture)
• Tell story as if it was Chinese whispers over period of time

Question 12

Findings of Bartlett’s War of the Ghosts Study

Answer 12

• Story became shorter more it was reproduces (330 words-180 after 7X)
• Became more coherent
• More in line with Western culture
• Longer gap between reading and reproducing: more changes

Question 13

What is soft determinism?

Answer 13

• Humans have some conscious mental control over the way they behave
• Choice is constrained by external or internal factors and that there is an element of free will in all behaviour