cognitive approach Flashcards
(25 cards)
What does the cognitive approach argue about internal mental processes?
They can and should be studied scientifically.
How do cognitive psychologists study mental processes?
Indirectly by making inferences about what is happening inside people’s minds.
What is a schema?
Packages of ideas and information developed through experience that act as mental frameworks for incoming information.
How do schemas help us?
They enable us to process lots of information quickly and act as mental shortcuts.
What is a potential downside of schemas?
They may distort our interpretations of sensory information, leading to perceptual errors.
What is the information processing approach?
It suggests that information flows through the cognitive system in a sequence of stages.
What is the multi-store model?
A model that describes how information is processed in the memory system in stages.
What are theoretical models in cognitive psychology?
Abstract representations of how mental processes work.
What are computer models in cognitive psychology?
Models that use computer analogies to explain mental processes.
How has the cognitive approach contributed to artificial intelligence?
By using computational models to develop ‘thinking machines’ for artificial intelligence.
What is one strength of the cognitive approach?
It uses objective, scientific methods.
What research method is commonly used in cognitive psychology?
Lab studies.
What is cognitive neuroscience?
A field combining biology and cognitive psychology to study the scientific basis of mental processes.
What is a counterpoint to the scientific methods used in cognitive psychology?
Research may lack external validity due to artificial tasks.
Why might cognitive psychology lack external validity?
Because studies often use artificial stimuli that may not represent everyday experience.
What is a real-world application of the cognitive approach?
It has been applied to artificial intelligence and treatment of depression.
How has cognitive psychology contributed to eyewitness testimony?
By improving the reliability of eyewitness testimony.
What is machine reductionism?
The criticism that the cognitive approach ignores the influence of emotion and motivation on the cognitive system.
What is a limitation of machine reductionism?
It may weaken the validity of the cognitive approach by oversimplifying human mental processes.
What is the role of schema in perception?
Schemas help us interpret incoming information based on past experience.
What is an example of a simple motor schema in babies?
Grasping schema, which involves moving a hand towards an object and shaping the hand around it.
What is a practical application of the cognitive approach in mental health?
Treatment of depression.
What is the cognitive approach’s view on the study of the mind?
It should be studied scientifically using objective methods.
What is the main criticism of using computer models in cognitive psychology?
They may ignore the influence of emotion and motivation.
