The Cognitive Approach Flashcards
(18 cards)
What are the 3 assumptions in the Cognitive approach?
1) Thought processes can be studied scientifically & controlled lab studies can investigate what we are thinking
2) The mind works like a computer, it has an input which it then processes and produces an output.
3) Stimulus and response is appropriate but only if those thought processes are acknowledges (criticism of behaviourism)
What are the 4 features of cognitive neuroscience?
1) The study of internal mental processes
2) The role of schemas
3) The use of theoretical and computer models to explain and make inferences about mental processes
4) The emergence of cognitive neuroscience
What is the study of internal mental processes?
-Ways in which we extract, store and retrieve information to guide our behaviour.
How do cognitive psychologists study non-empirical thought processes?
By observing behaviour and making inferences about what is going on in peoples minds using the experimental method
What is a schema?
A mental framework that incorporates our ideas about a person or situation.
Formed through experience
Why is a schema useful when processing information?
They allow us to process information quickly & take shortcuts when interpreting huge amounts of data.
+ Predict what may happen in our world which enables us to respond appropriately.
Why does the cognitive approach use theoretical models?
To explain how the mind works
Involves describing a behaviour through a series of distinct steps.
What is the computer analogy?
The human mind is like a computer. This model uses concepts of a central processing unit (the brain), coding (turning information into a usable format) and ‘stores’ to hold information.
What are the processing steps used in the computer analogy?
1) Input - Info from the environment is gathered via senses and encoded by the individual
2) Processing - Once the info is encoded, it’s processed in the individual’s mind.
3) Output- The person responds through their behaviour
Give 3 examples of how the human brain differs from a computer.
Human emotions have an impact on how our minds function, whilst computers are emotionless
The human brain can misplace information & experience difficulty recalling info, whilst computers cannot loose information
The brain only pays attention to a small amount of information input, whilst computers receive all input.
What are the limitations of the computer analogy?
-Over-simplistic
-Offers a determinist view on human behaviour
What is cognitive neuroscience?
Scientific study of the influence of brain structures on mental processes.
What is the fMRI scan?
Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is a brain-scanning technique that measures blood flow in the brain when a person performs a task
What is a PET scan
Positron emission tomography (PET) scans for activity in the brain
What is a strength of cognitive neuroscience?
(+) The use of PET scans to test LTM
-Tulving et al conducted a lab experiment in which their participants did different memory tasks and used PET scan to determine which parts of the brain they were using
-This is evidence that episodic & semantic memory are 2 separate LTM stores
What is a limitation of cognitive neuroscience?
(-) Practical applications may be controversial
- e.g. the use of brain fingerprinting for lie detection in courts.
-may lead to an overreliance on science without human scrutiny & lead to wrongful convictions
What are the evaluation points of the Cognitive approach?
(+) Successful treatment
(+) Uses the scientific method & assumptions are based on empirical evidence
(-) Low ecological validity
(-) Reductionist (over-simplistic)
How has the cognitive approach have successful treatments?
Cognitive behavioural therapy aims to identify & challenge maladaptive thoughts and alters dysfunctional behaviours. This treatment has been found to be effective for treating a range of psychological abnormalities.
-Strength as it demonstrates the contribution that the cognitive approach has made to psychology.
