approaches in psychology - cognitive approach. Flashcards
(37 cards)
What is meant by “cognitive”?
Mental processes such as perception, memory and reasoning.
What is meant by “cognitive neuroscience”?
An area of psychology dedicated to the underlying neural bases of cognitive functions.
What is meant by “computer model”?
The process of using computer analogies as a representation of the human condition.
What is meant by “inference”?
Reaching a logical conclusion on the basis of evidence and reasoning.
What is meant by “schema”?
A cognitive framework that helps to organise and interpret information in the brain.
What is meant by “theoretical models”?
Simplified, usually pictorial representations of particular mental processes based on current research evidence.
What is meant by “cognitive psychology”?
The scientific study of the mind as an information processor.
[concerns the way we take in information from the outside world and how we make sense of that information]
When and how did cognitive psychology begin?
Mid 1950s when researchers miller, chomsky, broadbent, newell, shaw and simon in several fields began to develop theories of mind based on complex representations and computational procedures.
What are the assumptions of the cognitive approach?
- meditional processes occur between stimulis and response.
- psychology should be seen as a science.
- humans are information processors.
“meditional processes occur between stimulis and response”
> essential to look at the metal processes of an organism and how these influence behaviour.
important to understand as without this understanding, psychologists cannot have a complete understanding of behaviour.
“psychology should be seen as a science”
> follow behaviorists in preferring objective, controlled., scientific methods for investigating behaviour.
use results of investigators as the basis for making inferences about mental processes.
“humans are information processors”
> information processing in humans resembles that in computers where it is based on transforming information, storing information and retrieving information from memory.
memory and attention assume that mental processes follow a clear sequence.
Give an overview of the role of schemas.
- cognitive procssing can often be affected by schemas.
- as you get older, these become more detailed and sophisticated.
- based on previous experience.
How are schemas helpful?
It interprets incoming information quickly and effectively preventing us from being overwhelmed by the vast amount of information we percieve in our environment.
What is the history of cognitive psychology?
1925 > kohler - published book called ‘the mentalit of apes’ reporting observations which suggested that animals could show insightful behaviour.
- rejeted behaviorism.
1948 > robert wiener - introduced terms such as input and output through pubishing ‘cybernetics: or control and communication in the animal and the machine’.
> tolman - work on cognitive maps such as training rats in mazes showing that animals had an internal representation of behaviour.
1956 > george miller- birth of cognitive psychology.
1972 > newell and simon - development of the general problem solver.
1960 > miller - founded the center for cognitive studies at harvard with jerome bruner.
1967 > ulric neisser - published ‘cognitive psyhology’ marking the official beginning of the cognitive approach.
1968 > atkinon and shiffrin - multi store model which is a process model of memory.
What methodologies/studies support the cognitive approach?
- case study (HM, KF).
- lab experiments.
- interviews.
- observations.
- computer modeling.
What was the aim of the h.m study?
To cure h.m of his epileptic seizures.
What happened in the h.m study?
- surgery that involves what was called a-partial medial temporal lobe resection took place.
- Scoville removed 8cm of brain tissue from the hippocampus where it is believed it may have destroyed other parts of the brain as well.
- h.m lost the ability to form new memories where he could do a task and not realise that he had done it hundreds of times before.
- his intelligence remained and his childhood memories where still intact.
- Scoville removed 8cm of brain tissue from the hippocampus where it is believed it may have destroyed other parts of the brain as well.
What were the weaknesses of the h.m study?
- the high doses of anti-epileptic drug he was taking before and the lower doses after sugery may have resulted in some memory loss.
- no memory tests were conducted before surgery therefore initial memory loss was reported by his mother whom he lived with.
What is cognitive interviewing?
A method of interviewing eyewitnesses and victims about what they remember from a crime scene.
How is a cognitive interview carried out?
- the interviewer attempts to help the witness feel relaxed and seeks to tailor their language to suit the individual.
- the witness is then encouraged to recreate their internal and external conditions at the scene such as their mood, thoughts and weather.
- they must recall the event backwards and forwards in time and recall it from other people’s perspectives.
[the interviewer aims to be non-judgmental and avoids personal comments throughout]
- they must recall the event backwards and forwards in time and recall it from other people’s perspectives.
- the witness is then encouraged to recreate their internal and external conditions at the scene such as their mood, thoughts and weather.
What are the strengths of cognitive interviews?
- witnesses reported greater detail in their accounts of cimes when technique was used.
- more strutured than standard technique.
- allows for a very thorough interview which is appropriate for crime-related interviews allowing for detailed testimonies.
[fisher et al - 1990]
What are the weaknesses of cognitive interviews?
- witnesses recalled more incorrect information compared to standard technique as more detail may result in an increased chance of making mistakes.
- more time consuming.
[koehnken et al - 1999]
Who discovered computer modeling?
Piaget and tolman.
