Cognitive Approach

Question 1

Assumptions

Answer 1

Contrasts behaviourist approach, focused on how mental processes affect behaviour

Internal mental processes studied through inferences

Question 2

Schemas

Answer 2

Beliefs & expectations affect thought & behaviour, developed through experience

Innate or learned

Mental shortcut - leads to perceptual errors

Question 3

Theoretical & Computer Models

Answer 3

Information processing approach - suggests info flows through cognitive system in stages - input, storage and retrieval (MSM)

Mind is similar to computer and applied to artificial intelligence

Question 4

Cognitive neuroscience

Answer 4

Scientific study of how brain structures affect mental processes

Biological structures link to mental states - EG Broca - damaged frontal lobe = results in impaired speech

Brain imagining (EG - fMRI, PET ) used to read the brain

Tulving - showed different types of LTM located opposite side of prefrontal cortex

Question 5

Strengths

Answer 5

• Scientific Methods
  Lab studies produce reliable objective data. Cognitive neuroscience is scientific
  Therefore, the study of mind has a credible scientific basis

-Real world application
Contributed to artificial intelligence (robots), treating depression, reliability of EWT
This supports the value of the cognitive approach

Question 6

WeaknessesMachine reductionism - similarities between human mind and computer
Computer analogy is too simple, ignores influence of emotion - eg effect of anxiety
Suggests that machine reductionism may weaken validity of cognitive approach