Cognitive Approach Flashcards
How is the cognitive approach different from the learning theories?
Does not put emphasis on observable behaviour
What does the cognitive approach suggest?
To understand behaviour we must study the internal mental processes
What are internal processes?
Private processes of the mind
Give an example of mental processes
Perception
attention
memory
Where does the mental processes mediate?
Between the stimulus and the response to the stimuli
How does one create theories about the mind and behaviour?
Infer
Define schema
A mental framework of beliefs and expectations that influence the cognitive processing
How are schemas developed?
Though experience
Why are schemas useful?
- Helps us make shortcuts when interpreting large amounts of info
- Helps us fill in the gaps when we don’t know all the details
What are the names of the two models which try and explain our human mental processes?
Theoretical model
computer model
What is the theoretical model?
Flowchart process thinking
What is the computer model?
Computer programming thinking
What is cognitive neuroscience?
It’s studies how structures of the brain might influence cognitive thought process
What did Bruner Et Al discover?
Using FMRI scans…
he mapped areas of the brain involved with processing emotions
What did Bruner find?
People whom feel guilt, several brain regions activated
Including the medial pre frontal cortex
What is FMRI?
Makes it possible to watch different areas of the brain work whilst person is doing task
What is EEG?
Records electrical signals in the brain
Helps diagnose epilepsy and sleeping disorders
What is PET?
Measures activity of cells in different parts of the body
Positives of the cognitive approach
Scientific methods add credibility
Negatives of the cognitive approach
Application to real life - inference leads to abstract theories
lacks validity - computer analogy leads to machine reductionism
