cognitive approach Flashcards
What is the cognitive approach overall
How our mental processes for example thoughts, perceptions and attention affect our behaviour
What is the assumption of this approach to do with our brain’s capacity
Our mental systems have a limited capacity - the amount of information that can be processed will be influenced by how demanding the task is and how much other information is processed
What is the assumption of this approach to do with control mechanisms
A control mechanism oversees all mental processes - this will require more processing power for new tasks, leaving less available for everything else
What is the assumption of this approach to do with the flow of information
There is a two-way flow of information - we take in information from the world, process it and react to it and we also use our knowledge and experiences to understand the world
What are the main research methods used
- laboratory experiments - very scientific and reliable and well controlled
- field experiments - takes place in a natural situation
- natural experiments - making observations in a naturally occurring situation
What is the flow of the information processing model
Input –> processing –> output
What is the information processing model used for
- used to explain mental processes
- used to make inferences (intelligent guesses) about mental processes
- compares a human to a computer
What is the schema
A ‘package’ of ideas and information developed through experience and helps you to organise and interpret information and experiences
What does schema affect
Behaviour
What is role schema
Ideas about the behaviour which is expected from someone in a certain role, setting or situation
What is event schema
These are also called scripts and contain information about what happens in a situation
What is self-schemas
They contain information about ourselves based on physical characteristics and personality as well as beliefs and values and they can affect how you act
What are some problems with schema
They can stop people from learning new information
- prejudice and stereotypes can be an outcome of schemas
- schema which hold expectations or beliefs about a certain subgroup of people may bias the way we process incoming information
This can lead to faulty conclusions and unhelpful behaviour and perception errors
Who commenced the emergence of the cognitive approach
Paul Broca in the 1860s and he identified damage to the frontal lobe could permanently affect speech
Who formed the ‘cognitive neuroscience’ and when
Miller in the 1970s
What is the lesion study method used for (brain scanning)
To see if the brain damage changes behaviour
What is the electrophysiology method used for (brain scanning)
Using electric and magnetic fields to measure brain activity and brain waves
What is the neuroimaging method used for (brain scanning)
Pinpointing areas of the brain which are active when a task is performed
What happens in the hypothalamus
Homeostasis
What happens in the hippocampus
Regulates emotions, learning and memory
What happens in the amygdala
`Processes emotions
What happens in the medulla oblongata and brain stem and what is it responsible for
Unconscious brain controls heart rate, breathing and swallowing
What is the cerebellum responsible for
Co-ordination and balance
What happens in the corpus callosum
Is the bridge between the two sides of the brain and integrates motor, sensory and cognitive performance
