AIP: Cognitive approach

Question 1

What does cognitive psychology focus on?

Answer 1

Focuses on how people percieve, store, manipulate and interpret information; studying processes like perception, memory, thinking and problem solving.

Question 2

How are cognitive psychologists different to behaviourists?

Answer 2

Unlike behaviourists, cognitive psychologists believe that it is necessary to look at internal mental processes in order to understand the behaviour!

Question 3

What processing model does much of cognitive psychology use, what happens in this?

Answer 3

It uses an information processing model, whereby information received through the senses is processed by various systems in the brain.

Question 4

As a result of much of the information processing approach - first being used to describe the way in which computers processed information, how is what goes on in the brain explained?

Answer 4

Using computing metaphors such as “encoding”, “processing”, “retrieval”

Question 5

What does the cognitive approach study?

Answer 5

Studies information processing, i.e. ways in which we extract, store and retrieve information which helps to guide our behaviour!

Question 6

What different kinds of mental processes contribute to information processing?

(4)

Answer 6

• Selecting important information (attention).
• Using it to solve problems (thinking).
• Storing it in our memory.
• Retrieving it as and when it is needed.

Question 7

What does the cognitive approach recognise about the different mental processes which contribute to information processes?

What does this enable cognitive psychologists to develop theories about?

Answer 7

That these mental processes cannot be studied directly but must be studied indirectly by interfering what goes on as a result of measuring behaviour.

The mental processes that led to the observed behaviour!

Question 8

What is a schema?

Answer 8

A cognitive framework that helps organise and interpret information in the brain.

Question 9

Schemas for specific events are based on what?

Gives examples.

Answer 9

Based on expectations of how to behave in different situations (such as in a restaurant or classroom) or in different roles (e.g. as a guard in a mock prison).

Question 10

Why are schemas useful?

Answer 10

• They allow us to take shortcuts when interpreting the huge amounts of information we have to deal with on a daily basis.

Question 11

What do schemas cause us to exclude?

Answer 11

Cause us to exclude anything that does not conform to our established ideas about the world, focusing instead on things that confirm our pre-existing beliefs and ideas.

Question 12

Schemas cause us to fill in the gaps when….

Give an example.

Answer 12

….there is absence of full information about a person, event or thing.

e.g. If we classify food as “foreign” or if we sit next to somone on the bus who we class as “old” , our schemas will tell us what to expect and we act accordingly, regardless of how tasty the food is or stimulating our companion really might be.

Question 13

What is a consequence of our schemas when they help us fill in gaps in the absence of full information about a person, event or thing?

Answer 13

Consequence- We develop stereotypes that are difficult to disconfirm, even when faced with new and conflicting information.

Question 14

Theoretical models.

In cognitive psychology, models such as the multi-store model of memory or the working memory model are……

Answer 14

Simplified representations based on current research evidence!

Question 15

Theoretical models.

In cognitive psychology, models are often displayed how?

Answer 15

Pictorial in nature, represented by boxes and arrows that indicate cause and effect or the stages of a particular mental process.

Question 16

Models such as the the working memory model are often …..

Give an example.

Answer 16

Incomplete and informal and are frequently changed, updated and refined.

E.g. the working memory model was first proposed by Baddeley and Hitch in 1974. Their initial model consisted of three main sections with a fourth ( the episodic buffer) added by Baddeley in 2000.

Question 17

When was the working memory model proposed?

Answer 17

1974

Question 18

Who was the working memory model first proposed by?

Answer 18

Baddeley and Hitch!!

Question 19

The development of computers and computer systems led to a focus on what?

Answer 19

The way in which sensory information is “coded” as it passes through the system.

Question 20

Using a computer anology, what happens to information?

What model is a good example of memory?

Answer 20

Information is inputted through the senses, encoded into the memory and then combined with previously stored information to complete a task.

A computer model!

Question 21

Computer model.

Information stored on the hard disc is like what?

What does RAM (random access memory) correspond to?

Answer 21

1) Long-term memory.
2) Working memory.

Question 22

Why does the idea of working memory as a temporary workspace fit the computer model nicely?

Answer 22

Like the working memory, RAM is cleared and reset when the task being carried out is finished.

Question 23

The rapid advances in ways of studying the brain has allowed neuroscientists to do what?

Answer 23

Meant that neuroscientists are now able to study the living brain, giving them detailed information about the brain structures involved in different kinds of mental processing ( cognitive neuroscience)

Question 24

What are two examples of non-invasive neuroimaging techniques?

Answer 24

PET ( positron emission tomography)

FMRI ( Functional magnetic resonance imaging)

Question 25

What do **PET** and **FMRI** techniques help psychologists do?

Answer 25

They help psychologists understand how the brain supports different cognitive activities and emotions by showing what parts of the brain become active in specific circumstances.

Question 26

What did Burnett et al discover in 2009?

Answer 26

He found that when people feel guilty, several brain regions are active, including the medial prefrontal cortex, an area associated with social emotions.

Question 27

What are the advantages for the cognitive approach?

Answer 27

* It has many applications. * It is scientific.

Question 28

Strength of social learning theory- it can be applied in many other areas of psychology. **1)** How has research in social cognition helped psychologists? **2)** has the cognitive approach to psychopathology been used to explain? **3)** What have these insights led to?

Answer 28

**1)** It has helped psychologists better understand how we interpret the actions of others. **2**) How much of the dysfunctional behaviour shown by people can be traced back to faulty thinking processes. **3)** Led to successful treatment, using cognitive- based interventions, of people suffering from disorders such as depression and OCD.

Question 29

What disorders did cognitive-based interventions help to treat?

Answer 29

Depression OCD

Question 30

**Cognitive psychologists emphasis on scientific methods is a particular strength of this approach.** Why is the use of experimental method a strength for the cognitive approach? What does this mean- in terms of a conclusion about how the mind works?

Answer 30

* Provides researchers with a **rigorous method** collecting and evaluating evidence in order to reach **accurate conclusions** about how the mind works. * Conclusions- based on far more than common sense and introspection, as these can give a misleading picture of mental processes, many of which are not consciously accessible.

Question 31

What are the disadvantages of the cognitive approach?

Answer 31

* Computer models have **limited explanatory powers.** * It ignores **emotion** and **motivation.** * Studies may **lack ecological validity**.

Question 32

Why do computer models have limited explanatory powers??

Answer 32

* There is an important difference between the sort of **information processing** that takes place within the human mind. * Computers **do not** make **mistakes** or **ignore available information**- or **forget** anything that has been stored on their hard drives. * **WHEREAS humans do all these things!!** Therefore- it limits the appropriateness of explaining human thought and behaviour-using computer models.

Question 33

Disadvantages What does the cognitive approach ignore?

Answer 33

It ignores emotion and motivation. Although it can tell us how different cognitive processes take place, it fails to tell us why they do!

Question 34

How may the lack of focus on motivational states be explained?

Answer 34

By the over- dependence on information processing anthologies, as motivation is clearly irrelevant to a computer, but not to a human being!

Question 35

Why is it not surprising that the role of emotion and motivation have largely been ignored by this approach?

Answer 35

Not surprising- given that approaches that focus on the motivational processes in behaviour (e.g. Freud) largely ignore the cognitive processes involved in behaviour!

Question 36

How do cognitive psychology studies tend to lack ecological validity? Why is this a disadvantage?

Answer 36

* Tend to use tasks that have little in common with the participants natural everyday experiences. * Disadvantage- it is **unlikely** that you can **generalise** these findings to **real-life** situations. * So much of the research in cognitive psychology may be criticised as **lacking ecological validity**- fails to relflect the behaviours that occur in real-life settings.

Question 37

Key term- **cognitive**

Answer 37

Cognitive- Relates to mental processes such as **perception**, **memory** and **reasoning**.

Question 38

Key term- **cognitive neuroscience**

Answer 38

**Cognitive neuroscience**: An area of psychology dedicated to the underlying neural bases of cognitive functions.

Question 39

Key term- computer model

Answer 39

**Computer model**- refers to the process of using computer analogies as a representation of human cognition.

Question 40

Key term: Inference/ inferring

Answer 40

Reaching a logical conclusion on the basis of evidence and reasoning.

Question 41

Schema definiton

Answer 41

Schema- A cognitive framework that helps to organise and interpret information in the brain. Schemas help an individual to make sense of new information.

Question 42

Theoretical models- definition.

Answer 42

In cognitive psychology, models are simplified, usually pictorial, representations of a particular mental process based on current research evidence.

Question 43

Strength of the cognitive approach. Write a **PEEL** para starting with, **"One strength of the cognitive approach is its application to the treatment of psychological disorders"**

Answer 43

## Footnote **P**- Its **application** to the treatment of psychological disorders. **E**- Has been used to explain how **faulty thinking processes** can cause illnesses such as **depression**. **E-** Consequently, the cognitive approach has led to the development of **successful treatments** including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. **L-** This matters because the cognitive approach has **improved the lives of many individuals** suffering from illnesses like depression!

Question 44

Write a PEEL para on "Another strength of the cognitive approach is the use of scientific methods."

Answer 44

## Footnote **P-** Strength of the cognitive approach is the use of **scientific methods**. **E**- Cognitive psychologists use scientific methods to **collect** and **evaluate** evidence. **E**- This means that conclusions about the mind are **based on far more** than common sense and introspection. **L**- This matters because conclusions present a more **valid representation** of the human mind.

Question 45

Write a PEEL para starting with "One criticism of the cognitive approach is that humans are not like computers."

Answer 45

P- One criticism of the cognitive approach is that **humans are not like computers.** E- The cognitive approach uses **computer models** to explain human coding and terms such as **"encoding"** **"storage"** and **"retrieval"** are taken directly from the field of computing. E- However there is an important distinction between computers and the human mind. E.g. computers do not make **mistakes**, nor do they **forget information.** L- This matters because computer models are **not an accurate representation** of the human mind and should be treated with **caution!**