The Cognitive Approach Flashcards
(28 cards)
What is the cognitive approach?
How our mental processes (for example, thoughts, perceptions, attention) affect behaviour
What is a key assumption of the cognitive approach regarding mental systems?
Our mental systems have a limited capacity
What influences the amount of information that can be processed?
How demanding the task is and how much other information is processed
What oversees all mental processes as a control mechanism?
A control mechanism that requires more processing power for new tasks
Describe the flow of information in the cognitive approach.
Two way flow: intake information, process it, react; use knowledge and experiences to understand the world
What are the three types of research methods in cognitive psychology?
- Laboratory experiments
- Field experiments
- Natural experiments
What is a key characteristic of laboratory experiments?
Very scientific and reliable, but have low ecological validity
What does the information processing model explain?
Mental processes and makes inferences about them
How is a human compared to in the information processing model?
A computer
What is a schema?
A ‘package’ of ideas and information developed through experience
What happens when information is consistent with a schema?
It is assimilated into the schema
What occurs when information is inconsistent with a schema?
Accommodation occurs and the schema has to change
What are the three different types of schemas?
- Role schemas
- Event schemas
- Self schemas
What do role schemas represent?
Ideas about the behaviour expected from someone in a certain role, setting or situation
What are event schemas also known as?
Scripts
What do self schemas contain information about?
Ourselves based on physical characteristics, personality, beliefs, and values
What is a potential problem with schemas?
They can stop people from learning new information
What negative outcomes can schemas lead to?
- Prejudice
- Stereotypes
- Faulty conclusions and unhelpful behaviour
What is cognitive neuroscience?
Aims to study biological structures that influence mental processes
Who identified that damage to the frontal lobe could permanently affect speech?
Paul Broca in the 1860s
What significant formation occurred in 1956 related to cognitive science?
Formation of ‘Cognitive Science’ at MIT
What technology has developed in the last 20 years for studying the brain?
- fMRI
- PET scans
What is the focus of lesion studies?
To see if brain damage changes behaviour
What does electrophysiology measure?
Brain activity and brain waves using electric and magnetic fields
