The cognitive approach Flashcards
cognitive approach
how mental processes affect behaviour
internal mental processes
private operations of the mind such as perception and attention that mediate between stimulus and response
schema
information and ideas that are developed by experiences
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inference
the process whereby cognitive psychologists draw conclusions about the way mental processes operate on the basis of observed behaviour
cognitive neuroscience
the scientific study of those biological structures that underpin cognitive processes
example of schema
schema for a chair = something you can sit on
consequence of schema
may change interpretations and lead to perceptual errorseg stereotypes
bugelski and alampay 1962
groups were shown a series of faces or animals, participants who saw faces were more likely to see a face and vice versa
examples of internal mental processes
memory, perception, thinking
scanning techniques
fMRI and PET
machine reductionism
limits approach as it ignores the influence of human emotion and motivation
soft determinism
view that human behaviour may be determined by internal/external factors and free will
strengths of cognitive approach
- uses objective scientific methods
- highly controlled study
- lab studies produce reliable, objective data
limitations of cognitive approach
- relies on inference rather than direct observation
- seen as too abstract
- artificial stimuli may not represent everyday life
- may lack validility
