THE COGNITIVE APPROACH- assumptions Flashcards
Unlike the behaviourist approach which is concerned with external observable actions in explaining behaviour [environment], what is the cognitive approach concerned with in explaining behaviour
internal, mental processes
who influenced cognitive psychology
Wilhelm Wundt
when did Wilhelm Wundt influence cognitive psychology
late 19th century
what did Wundt want to develop
ways in which internal mental processes could be studies scientifically and systematically
like the behaviourist approach, how does the cognitive approach believe behaviour should be studied
experimentally and objectively
the cognitive approach is concerned with how our what affects our behaviour
thinking
what does the cognitive approach assume is the prime importance in understanding behaviour
internal processes of the mind
what is assumption 1 of the cognitive approach
the computer analogy
what have cognitive psychologists compared the human mind with
a computer
how do cognitive psychologists compare our minds to computers
how we take in information [INPUT] , change it/ store it [PROCESS] then recall when necessary [OUTPUT]
during the process stage, what do we actively use
the cognitive processes of perception, attention, memory etc.
which part of the computer is the mind compared to
hardware [machinery]
which part of the computer are the cognitive processes compared with
software [ what make it work inside]
what is the diagram which explains the process of memory called
the multistore model of memory
who and when made the multistore model of memory
Atkinson and Shiffrin [1968]
what is the first step of the multistore model of memory
information is input to the brain through senses [eyes ,ears, etc.]
what is the second step of the multistore model of memory
information moves to short- term memory [STM] store
what is the third step of the multistore model of memory
information then moves to long- term memory [LTM] store
what is the fourth step of he multistore model of memory
information is then output when required
what is assumption 2 of the cognitive approach
internal mental processes
what does assumption 2[ the internal mental processes] see humans as
information processors
what enables us to process information of and make sense of the world around us
essential cognitive processes all work together to enable us to make sense of/ respond to the word around us
what are the four cognitive processes that constantly work together to help us understand the environment
perception, attention, memory, language
An example to see how the cognitive processes work is with a dog. - [when we see a dog, what enables us to know it is a dog]. explain how each cognitive process [4] apply in this situation
we have to pay ATTENTION to it , PERCEIVE its features [e.g. 4 legs, tail, fur] / search through our MEMORY store and see if there is a ‘match’ with something we have already seen/ experienced . In order to e able to name it, we use LANGUAGE
what is he definition of information processing
our mental processes work together within a split second to allow us to respond to the world around us
INVESTIGATING INTERNAL MENTAL PROCESSES — turn over
all about… How can we measure internal processes/ how do we know what is going on inside the mind…
Cognitive psychologists have to infer what is going on inside your head and use processes such as what
introspection
who developed the technique on introspection
Wilhelm Wundt
when Wilhelm Wundt developed introspection, what did he want to do
investigate thinking in a scientific/ systematic way
what would happen during introspection
highly trained research assistants would be given a stimulus e.g. ticking metronome] and would report what the stimulus made them think/ feel
although some psychologists question the validity of introspection as an objective scientific too, what is a pro of it
it is still used today
introspection was used to investigate what =behaviour
gambling behaviour
who and when did the introspection study of gambling behaviour
Griffiths , 1994
what was Griffiths trying to investigate through the gambling introspection study
the thought processes of people who gambled regularly VS non- regular gamblers
what did Griffiths propose the thought processes of regular gamblers would be like
irrational
during the gambling introspection, to assess irrational thinking what were the participants asked to do while playing a fruit machine
’ think aloud’
during the gambling introspection study, participants were given a list of instructions such as what
say everything that goes through your mind , do not censor any thoughts even if they seem irrelevant to you , keep talking as continuously as possible even if your ideas are not clearly structured , do not hesitate to use fragmented [short] sentences if necessary , do not try to justify your thoughts
what did the gambling introspection study find
gamblers used more irrational verbalisations [something not based on reason, logic or understanding] such as ‘I lost because I wasn’t paying attention’ or ‘this machine likes me’
what is assumption 3 of the cognitive approach
schemas
what are schemas
organised packets of information that are built up through experience/ stored in our long- term memory
give an example of a daily life schema we all have and explain it
our ‘dog schema’ [ the packet of information we have stored about dogs] may contain ‘four legs’, ‘furry’, ‘bark’, ‘tail’, etc.
although schemas are derived from past experiences, what can they be refined through
further interactions with people and the world around us
why do schemas not represent reality
they are built up via social exchanges [e.g. conversations with others, the media] rather than personal interactions
give an example of a schema which has been built up via social exchanges instead of personal interactions and explain why
our ‘burglar’ schema as most people have probably never witnessed a burglary yet their ‘burglar’ schema would be a male, fairly, would, balaclava over face
Schemas can take 2 different forms … what are they called
event schemas / role schemas
what do event schemas tell us about
scripts [e.g. going to a restaurant
what do role schemas tell us about
different roles [e.g. nurse]
