The Cognitive Approach Flashcards
(56 cards)
What do cognitive psychologists believe is necessary to explain behaviour?
We must refer to thought processes
This approach contrasts with behaviourism, which focuses solely on observable behaviours.
What are the assumptions of cognitive psychologists?
- Thought processes can be studied scientifically
- The mind works like a computer
- Stimulus and response must acknowledge thought processes in between
What is the cognitive approach’s stance on stimulus and response?
It is appropriate only if the thought processes between the stimulus and response are acknowledged
This is a direct criticism of behaviourism.
What does the cognitive approach study?
Internal mental processes and information processing
This includes ways in which we extract, store, and retrieve information.
How do cognitive psychologists study non-empirical thought processes?
By observing behaviour and making inferences about mental processes
Inferences are assumptions about what is going on in people’s minds.
What method do cognitive psychologists use to develop theories about mental processes?
The experimental method
What is a schema?
A mental framework that incorporates our ideas about a person or situation
How do schemas help the brain?
- Organize and interpret information
- Process information quickly
- Take shortcuts when interpreting data
What allows individuals to predict outcomes in their environment?
Schemas
What is the nature of schemas among individuals from the same culture?
They often form similar schemas due to shared experience
What innate schemas are babies born with?
Examples include sucking
As we age, schemas become more detailed and sophisticated.
What is a theoretical model in cognitive psychology?
A theory represented as diagrams that can provide testable hypotheses about mental processing
What is the information processing approach?
It suggests that information flows through the cognitive system in a sequence of stages like a computer
What are the stages in the information processing approach?
- Input
- Processing
- Output
- Storage
What analogy is used to describe the human mind in cognitive psychology?
The computer analogy
What does the computer analogy suggest about the human mind?
It works like a computer with components such as a central processing unit, coding, and stores for holding information
What is the sequence of steps in the cognitive processing model?
- Input: Information from the environment is gathered via senses
- Processing: Information is processed in the individual’s mind
- Output: The person responds through behaviour
Fill in the blank: The input stage involves gathering information from the environment via the _______.
senses
True or False: The cognitive approach has no influence on artificial intelligence.
False
What example illustrates the cognitive processing model with a student preparing for exams?
- The student knows their A level exams are coming up
- They think it may be useful to do some revision
- The student starts a revision programme
What is the Multi Store Model in the context of memory?
A computer analogy information processing approach where each store has its own coding and is connected by cognitive processes such as retrieval and elaborative rehearsal.
What are the three types of memory in the Multi Store Model?
- Sensory Memory (SM)
- Short-term Memory (STM)
- Long-term Memory (LTM)
What is elaborative rehearsal?
A cognitive process that helps in transferring information from short-term to long-term memory.
True or False: A computer can lose information unless it becomes corrupt.
True
