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WJEC Psychology > Component 1 - Cognitive approach > Flashcards

Component 1 - Cognitive approach Flashcards

1
Q

What is the computer analogy in the cognitive approach?

A

It compares the mind to a computer: input (senses), process (mental activities), and output (behavior or recall).

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2
Q

In the computer analogy, what are the brain and mental processes compared to?

A

The brain = hardware; mental processes = software.

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3
Q

Which memory model supports the computer analogy?

A

The Multi-Store Model of Memory (Atkinson & Shiffrin, 1968).

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4
Q

What are internal mental processes?

A

The cognitive functions (e.g. memory, attention, perception, language) that help us understand and respond to the world.

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5
Q

What is information processing?

A

The way mental processes work together to make sense of experiences, like recognising a dog by using memory, attention, etc.

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6
Q

How do psychologists study internal mental processes?

A

By inferring them and using techniques like introspection.

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7
Q

Who developed introspection and opened the first psychology lab?

A

Wilhelm Wundt, in 1879 (Germany).

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8
Q

What are schemas?

A

Mental frameworks or “packets of knowledge” built from experience and stored in long-term memory.

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9
Q

What are some types of schemas?

A

Event schemas (scripts), role schemas, self-schemas, and schemas about others.

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10
Q

How can schemas influence behaviour?

A

They shape how we interpret others and situations, e.g. stereotypes or assuming traits based on appearance.

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11
Q

Do schemas always reflect reality? Why or why not?

A

No—they can be influenced by media or social interactions, not just personal experiences.

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12
Q

What are the two main components of CBT?

A

Cognitive and behavioural techniques.

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13
Q

What does the cognitive component of CBT involve?

A

Identifying and challenging negative automatic thoughts.

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14
Q

What does the behavioural component of CBT involve?

A

Reality testing through role play or homework.

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15
Q

What is the therapist-client relationship like in CBT?

A

Collaborative – both play an active role, especially the client.

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16
Q

What is a Dysfunctional Thought Diary used for?

A

To track negative thoughts, rate belief in them, write rational responses, and re-rate original thoughts.

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17
Q

What is the purpose of Cognitive Restructuring?

A

To challenge and replace irrational thoughts with balanced alternatives.

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18
Q

What questions might be asked during cognitive restructuring?

A

“Where’s the evidence?” or “What’s the worst that could happen?”

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19
Q

What is Pleasant Activity Scheduling?

A

Planning one enjoyable or meaningful activity daily to boost mood and disrupt negative thinking.

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20
Q

What did Jarrett et al. (1999) find about CBT?

A

CBT was as effective as antidepressants for severe depression in a 10-week trial.

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21
Q

What did Hollon et al. (1992) conclude about CBT?

A

CBT was not superior to some antidepressants in a 10-week trial.

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22
Q

How does therapist competence affect CBT outcomes?

A

Up to 15% of success can be attributed to therapist skills (Kuyken & Tsivrikos, 2009).

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23
Q

What individual differences can affect CBT effectiveness?

A

High levels of rigid irrational beliefs or real-life stressors therapy can’t change.

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24
Q

How does CBT empower clients?

A

By helping them develop coping strategies and take control over their mental health.

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25
What is the “patient blame” criticism in CBT?
It assumes the client is responsible for their disorder, possibly ignoring external causes.
26
Why is defining “rational” a potential ethical issue?
Therapists may dismiss realistic negative thoughts as irrational.
27
What did Alloy & Abramson (1979) find about depressed individuals?
They may see the world more accurately than non-depressed people – “sadder but wiser” effect.
28
How could CBT cause psychological harm?
By lowering self-esteem if it invalidates a client’s realistic concerns.
29
What was the research method used in Loftus & Palmer's study?
A laboratory experiment using an independent groups design.
30
How many experiments were conducted in the study?
Two experiments with different participants.
31
How many participants were in Experiment 1?
45 students.
32
How many participants were in Experiment 2?
150 students.
33
What was the aim of Experiment 1?
To investigate whether the verb used in a question influences estimates of speed.
34
What were participants shown in Experiment 1?
Seven clips of different traffic accidents (5–30 seconds long).
35
What was the critical question asked in Experiment 1?
“About how fast were the cars going when they ___ each other?”
36
What five verbs were used in the critical question of Experiment 1?
Smashed, Collided, Bumped, Hit, Contacted.
37
Which verb led to the highest average speed estimate in Experiment 1?
"Smashed" – 40.8 mph.
38
Which verb led to the lowest average speed estimate in Experiment 1?
"Contacted" – 31.8 mph.
39
What was the aim of Experiment 2?
To test whether leading questions alter memory, not just influence responses.
40
What was shown in Experiment 2 (Part 1)?
A short video of a car crash lasting less than 4 seconds.
41
What were the three groups in Experiment 2 (Part 1)?
Asked about speed using “smashed” Asked about speed using “hit” Control group – no speed question
42
What was the critical question in Part 2 of Experiment 2 (one week later)?
“Did you see any broken glass?”
43
What were the findings about the broken glass question?
16 in the "smashed" group said yes, compared to 7 in the "hit" group and 6 in the control group.
44
What do the findings of Experiment 2 suggest?
Leading questions can alter memory, not just bias answers.
45
What are the two explanations Loftus & Palmer proposed?
Response-bias – wording influences answers. Memory distortion – wording changes memory itself.
46
Which explanation did Experiment 2 support?
Memory distortion – because participants "remembered" false details like broken glass
47
What classic study supports the idea that verbal labels shape memory?
Carmichael et al. (1932) – showed that verbal labels change how images are remembered.
48
What type of experiment did Loftus and Palmer use, and why is it useful?
A controlled lab experiment, which helps demonstrate a causal relationship by controlling confounding variables.
49
What were the IV and DV in Loftus and Palmer’s study?
IV = the verb used in the question; DV = the estimated speed given by participants.
50
Why might Loftus and Palmer’s study lack ecological validity?
Participants watched film clips rather than witnessing real accidents, so they were less emotionally involved.
51
What did Foster et al. (1994) find about real-life EWT?
Participants were more accurate when they thought the event was real and their answers would affect a trial.
52
What did Yuille & Cutshall (1986) show about real-life EWT?
Real-life witnesses to a robbery gave accurate reports even months later, despite being given misleading questions.
53
What were the findings of Buckout (1980)?
In a TV study with 2,000 people, only 14% correctly identified the suspect, showing EWT can still be inaccurate in real life.
54
Why is the sample used by Loftus and Palmer a limitation?
They only used US college students, who may not represent how other groups (e.g., older adults) respond to misleading info.
55
What did Schacter et al. (1991) find about older adults and EWT?
Older people may confuse the source of information, making them more vulnerable to misleading info.
56
What does the Bugs Bunny study (Braun et al., 2002) show about misleading information?
Misleading info can create false memories, as people reported meeting characters that couldn’t have been at Disneyland.
57
Why was valid consent an issue in Loftus and Palmer’s study?
Participants were deceived about the purpose; if they had known, they might have answered more carefully.
58
Why was the deception in the study considered acceptable?
It was mild, didn’t harm participants, and was justified due to the study’s importance in understanding EWT.
59
How did Loftus and Palmer avoid causing psychological harm?
They used film clips instead of real accidents to prevent distress while still studying EWT.
60
What does "exonerated" mean?
A person who was wrongly convicted and later found innocent.
61
What did Huff et al. (1986) find about wrongful convictions?
60% were caused by eye-witness identification errors.
62
Why is relying too much on eye-witnesses an ethical issue?
Innocent people may be punished while the real criminals go free.
63
What did Greene (1990) find about jurors and eye-witnesses?
Jurors were skeptical of eye-witnesses due to media reports of errors.
64
What is PACE and what does it do?
The Police and Criminal Evidence Act (1984) sets rules for fair ID procedures.
65
What is the risk of convictions based on one eye-witness?
There’s still a chance of wrongful conviction without corroborating evidence.
66
What is the cost of crime in the UK annually?
£124 billion, about 7.7% of the UK's GDP.
67
What is the biggest societal risk of faulty eye-witness evidence?
The real criminal may remain free and reoffend.
68
What did Loftus & Palmer (1974) show about leading questions?
They can change a person's memory of an event.
69
What did Loftus & Zanni (1975) find?
Subtle changes in question wording (“a” vs “the”) can distort memory.
70
How does trauma affect memory, according to Freud?
Traumatic memories may be repressed into the unconscious.
71
What is "motivated forgetting"?
Unconscious blocking of traumatic memories.
72
Why might children under 5 be poor eye-witnesses?
They're more prone to false positives and suggestion.
73
What did Pozzulo & Lindsay (1998) find about children and line-ups?
Kids under 13 made more errors in target-absent line-ups.
74
What are schemas and how do they affect memory?
Mental shortcuts that can distort memory based on stereotypes.
75
What did Yarmey (1993) find about "good guy/bad guy" judgments?
Participants agreed on who looked like a criminal, showing schema bias.
76
What did Loftus (1979b) find about key details?
98% of people remembered a red purse, even after misleading info.
77
What is a flashbulb memory?
A vivid, long-lasting memory of a shocking event.
78
How does adrenaline affect memory?
It can strengthen memory formation (Cahill & McGaugh, 1995).
79
What did Davies et al. (1989) say about child witnesses?
Kids aged 6–11 are fairly accurate and don't usually lie or invent details.
80
How does age affect recognition accuracy?
People are better at identifying suspects from their own age group (Anastasi & Rhodes, 2006).
81
Why are known criminals more reliably identified?
No schema is needed—victims already know the attacker.
82
What did Yuille & Cutshall's real-life study show?
Real eye-witnesses remained accurate over time, even with leading questions.
83
What is a key advantage of the cognitive approach over behaviourism?
It investigates internal mental (mediational) processes between stimulus and response.
84
How does the cognitive approach help improve memory in practical settings?
By showing how retrieval cues aid memory (e.g. using shopping lists).
85
How has the cognitive approach contributed to therapy?
It’s been used in CBT to treat disorders like depression.
86
What did Piaget contribute to education through cognitive theory?
He showed children need concrete examples to learn abstract concepts.
87
How has cognitive research influenced police procedures?
Loftus’ work led to reduced use of leading questions in eyewitness interviews.
88
What makes the cognitive approach scientific?
It uses lab studies and brain scans (e.g. fMRI, PET) to investigate thought processes.
89
What is cognitive neuroscience?
The study of the brain's biological basis for cognitive processes like memory and thinking.
90
How does the cognitive approach fall short in explaining nature and nurture?
It often ignores genetic influences and cultural/social factors.
91
What’s a criticism of Piaget’s cognitive development theory?
He overlooked the influence of culture and gender.
92
What is the issue with schemas in the cognitive approach?
They may lead to stereotypes and suggest behaviour is too determined by past experiences.
93
What does it mean that the cognitive approach is deterministic?
It suggests our thoughts and behaviours are controlled by schemas and past experiences, limiting free will.
94
Why is the cognitive approach seen as mechanistic?
It compares humans to machines, ignoring emotion and context in behaviour.
95
How does the mechanistic view fail in understanding mental illness?
It focuses on faulty thinking but may ignore emotional causes like life events.

WJEC Psychology (7 decks)

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