Cognitive Approach Flashcards
1
Q
What is the main thing of the cognitive approach
A
- internal mental processes
- these should be studied
- example of this would be memory
2
Q
Why are mental processes hard to study and what do psychologists do
A
- inside your head
- psychologists make inferences about what is happening based on people’s behaviour
3
Q
How does the approach use theoretical models
A
- helps to understand the mind
- information processing approach
- example being the multi store model of memory
4
Q
How do they use computer analogies
A
- the brain works like a computer
- information is coded and is stored
- the brain has inputs outputs and stores jut like the computer
5
Q
What is schema
A
- central to the approach
- packages of information developed through experience
- mental framework for us to interpret information
6
Q
What is cognitive neuroscience
A
- scientific study of the influences of brain structures on mental processes
- there has been advances in brain scanning techniques which means that we can see what is happening in the brain
- eg episodic and semantic memories linked to opposite sides of the prefrontal cortex
- CAT FMRI
7
Q
Strengths
A
- scientific
- use controlled methods such as lab studies
- allowed biological and cognitive psychology to be combined
- makes it more creditable and scientific
8
Q
Weaknesses
A
- machine reductionism
- there are similarities between the mind and computer
- we have emotions and anxiety which affects our thoughts
- not considered in a computer analogy
- oversimplifies though processing
