4.2.1 COGNITIVE Flashcards
what are the assumptions of the cognitive approach?
AO1
- looks at the internal workings of the mind and explains behaviour through cognitive processes
-> states internal workings should be studied scientifically - focused on how our mental processes affect our behaviour
- cognitive psychologists try to explain behaviour by looking at our perception, language, attention and memory
- use experimental procedures and methods to test behaviour
- info received from our senses is processed by the brain and this processing directs how we behave
- internal mental processes can’t be observed directly but we can infer what a person is thinking based on how they act
cognitive psychology has been influenced by developments in computer science
what does this result in?
- analogies often made between how a computer works and how we process info
- computer + theoretical models are used to explain and make inferences about the mental processes that lead to particular behaviours -> since they can’t be observed directly
- cognitive psychology is interested in how the brain inputs, stores and retrieves info
- has lead to models which show info flowing through the cognitive system such as the MSM of memory
why is the link between humans and computers bad?
- humans are often influenced by emotional and motivational factors
-> ignores these - humans have unlimited and unreliable memory
-> computers have a limited but reliable memory - humans have free will
-> the ability to choose between decisions
-> computers do not
cognitive processing can often be affected by schemas
what are these?
AO1
schema = packet of information or cognitive framework that helps us organise and interpret info
- they are based on previous experience
- prevent us being overwhelmed by the vast amount of info we perceive in our environment
- however can lead to distortion of this info
-> we select and interpret environmental stimuli using schemas which might not be relevant
-> could case inaccuracies in areas like eyewitness testimony
-> can explain some errors we make when perceiving optical illusions
there are three types of schema
what are they?
1) role schema
- ideas about the behaviour which is expected from someone in a certain role / setting / situation
2) event schema
- also called scripts
- contain info about what happens in a situation
3) self schema
- contain info about ourselves based on physical characteristics and personality
- can affect how you act
Bartlett (1932) was one of the first psychologists to test and illustrate the idea of schemas
what was the METHOD
THE WAR OF THE GHOSTS
- English ppts asked to read a native american folk tale, called WOTG
- was an unfamiliar story -> full of strange + unusual names / ideas / objects
- had different structure to average english story
- ppts asked to recall the story after different lengths of time
what were the results found?
BARTLETT
- all the ppts changed the story to fit their own schemas
- the details in the story became more english
- the story started to contain elements of english culture
- details and emotions were added
- as the length of time between hearing and recalling the story increased, the amount of info remembered became a lot less
what was the conclusion?
BARTLETT
- people use their own schemas to help interpret and remember the world around them
what is a pro and a con of the Bartlett study?
- was a lab study
-> lacks ecological validity - was highly influential at the time
-> paved the way for further cognitive research
what is cognitive neuroscience?
AO1
- the scientific study of the influence of brain structures on mental processes
- done through the use of brain scanning techniques such as fMRI
what does neuroscience aim to do?
- aims to find out how the brain structures influence:
-> the way we process info
-> map mental cognitive functions to specific areas of the brain - is done using brain imaging techniques like fMRI and PET scans
what’s an example of brain mapping?
BRAVER ET AL. (1997)
- found when their ppts were performing activities involving the central executive while being scanned
- the prefrontal cortex showed greater activity
- suggest that the central executive is situated in the prefrontal cortex
what research methods are used by the cognitive approach?
AO1
1) laboratory experiments
- preferred method of investigation of the cognitive approach
2) case studies
- used to study rare conditions which provide an insight on the working of some mental processes
3) brain imaging
- fMRI and PET scans are used to map areas of the brain to cognitive function
- processing causes the area of the brain involved to increase metabolism and light up on the scan
what has the study of memory lead to?
strength AO3
- the development of cognitive interview which has decreased the inaccuracy of eyewitness memory
-> should lead to a decrease of wrongful convictions - helped us understand the causes of depression
-> Beck argues it’s the negative schemas we hold about the self, the world and the future which lead to depression rather than external events
-> also proposes a therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy
-> has shown to be effective for a range of mental disorders and has no side effects - study of memory processes such as cue dependent forgetting has lead to a strategy to improve EWT:
-> cognitive interview
what are some strengths of the cognitive approach?
AO3
1) uses a very scientific method, mainly lab experiments
- these are controlled and replicable so the results are reliable
2) has a wide range of practical applications
- eg) can be used to explain how eyewitness memories of events can be distorted therefore inaccurate
3) cognitive approach is less deterministic than the learning approach
-> argues that our thinking is limited by the way we process info
-> doesn’t deny the influence of moral values and social norms
