Cognitive Approach

Question 1

Supports Psychology as a scientific discipline:

Answer 1

One strength of the cognitive approach is that is supports psychology as a scientific discipline. The cognitive approach has contributed towards the credible scientific basis of Psychology. For example, the approach employs highly controlled and rigorous empirical methods (e.g. duration, capacity, coding) to enable researchers to infer cognitive processes at work. This has involved the use of laboratory experiments to produce reliable, objective data. In addition, the emergence of cognitive neuroscience has enabled the two fields of biology and cognitive psychology to come together. This is a strength because unseen mental processes can be studied in a scientific and objective manner contributing to the credibility of psychology as a scientific discipline.

Question 2

Successful and diverse applications:

Answer 2

One strength of the cognitive approach is that it has a number of successful applications in many areas of psychology. For example, cognitive psychology has expanded our understanding of Psychopathology by offering explanation for dysfunctional behaviour like depression, suggesting it is underpinned by faulty thought processes. This has led to many successful cognitive based therapies for depression, OCD and eating disorders. In addition, cognitive psychology has been used within Eyewitness Testimony research through the development of the cognitive interview. This interview technique is used to improve the accuracy of Eyewitness testimony through increasing the accessibility of stored
information. Therefore, demonstrating that the principles of the cognitive approach have
applied to a number of settings

Question 3

Mechanistic approach:

Answer 3

One limitation of the cognitive approach is that it has been accused
of having an over simplistic, mechanistic view of human behaviour. Unlike humans,
computers do not forget, make mistakes or ignore available information. Furthermore,
researchers have not been able to reliably create algorithms for ‘mood’ and ‘feeling’, for example, computers do not get stressed, therefore although many inferences about human behaviour can be suggested, a complete replication of human behaviour is unlikely. This might be one reason why although many computer models can test existing experimental data, many are unable to make future predictions. Therefore, this questions the usefulness of the
approach as an explanation of human behaviour.