WEEK 1 Flashcards
(41 cards)
What is cognition
knowledge
processes of the mind
mental processes
- memory
- learning
interpretation of learning
define cognition
refers to all the processes by which the sensory input is transformed, reduced, elaborated, stored, recovered and used
examples of cognitive processes
attention
perception
sensation
memory
decision execution
structuralism
conscious perception
introspection
trained participants to analyze own cognitive processes
Donder 1866
info processing consists of stages (perception, decision, response preparation)
each stage takes time
Measured reaction time and how long it took to respond to a stimulus.
Simple reaction time was asking people to press a button in front of them, choose reaction time asked them to choose between 2 buttons when lights flashed.
donders advantages
causal relationship: change in input caused a change in output
objective
widely applicable (see fmri methods)
donders disadvanatges
assumes stages are sequential
Wundt 1879
Used the approach of structuralism, overall experience is determined by combining basic elements called sensations.
Used analytic introspection where trained participants describe their sensations.
Ebbinghaus 1885
DAX, QEH etc., to establish memory capacity.
Established savings, which is how long it takes to learn something after having learnt it before. Found the savings curve, where memory drops rapidly after learning for 2 days, then levels off
Willian James 1890
Did not employ scientific method, used his own experience to write the first psychology textbook
Tolman 1948
Found that rats could develop a cognitive map of a maze to be efficient in finding food.
Chomsky 1959
Critical review of Skinner’s language development theory. Opposed Skinner by pointing out that children say many things they don’t get rewarded for.
1950s cognitive psychology resurgence
Inspired by the computer, input-input processor-memory unit-arithmetic unit-output
Dichotic listening experiments
Found that we filter out sounds when not attending to them.
AI information theory
Newell and Simon programmed the logic theorist, which was able to create proofs of mathematical problems involving principles of logic.
Miller found that people hold 7 items in ‘immediate memory’. Neisser emphasised the importance of information-processing in his textbook.
Modern research in cognitive psychology
Structural models-
Representations of a physical structure, used in demonstrating brain functions.
Modern research in cognitive psychology
process models-
Represent the processes involved in cognitive mechanisms, usually using boxes and arrows to represent connections
Modern research in cognitive psychology
resource models-
Focus on the mental resources that processes require.
Multiple resource model
Combines stages of processing (perception versus cognition processes), codes of processing (spatial activities that require different resources than verbal/linguistic activities), and modalities (the auditory perception that uses different resources to visual perception). The model is represented as a cube.
Cognitive strategies in enhancing learning
Spacing and interleaving- Repeated presentation and reviewing of information facilitates learning and improves memory. When distributed over time it is called spacing, when we are not learning in between these times we can interweave topics from the same domain.
Retrieval-based learning- Superior memory performance when we practice retrieving memory not just reading it.
detection vs discriminate
detect a stimulus (1)
discriminate between two things
independent variable
a variable that stands alone and isn’t changed by the other variables you are trying to measure
ie age
dependant variable
hat happens as a result of the independent variable
ie outcome
