Week 1 - Brief History Flashcards
(75 cards)
What was cognitive psychology’s view of Behaviorism?
Cognitive psychologists argued that behaviorism was overly simplistic and inadequate
for explaining complex mental processes like memory, problem-solving, and language
acquisition. Instead, they emphasized the importance of understanding internal mental
states and processes to gain a full understanding of behavior.
How did behaviorism influence the emergence of cognitive psychology?
Behaviorism influenced cognitive psychology by introducing rigorous experimental methods and a focus on empirical evidence. While behaviorists avoided studying mental processes, their emphasis on observable and measurable data laid the groundwork for cognitive psychologists to develop experiments investigating internal processes. This combination of behaviorism’s methods and cognitive psychology’s broader scope helped establish the field.
Who was one of the first people to link brain damage to specific behavioral deficits?
Paul Broca was one of the first to link brain damage to specific behavioral deficits. In the
1860s, he studied patients with speech impairments, notably the famous case of “Tan,”
who could only utter that single word. Broca found that these patients often had
damage in the left frontal lobe, a region now known as Broca’s area, which is critical for
speech production.
What were the first studies to reveal functional localization/maps in humans?
What was the method?
The first studies to reveal functional localization in humans were based on Gall’s theory of phrenology, which proposed that specific mental abilities were localized to distinct brain regions. This was followed by Flourens’ animal ablation studies, which observed the effects of removing parts of the brain on behavior. While Gall’s methods were flawed, Flourens’ work confirmed some functional distinctions and challenged strict localization for higher-order processes.
What are the primary differences between Gall’s phrenology and Flourens’ aggregate field theory?
Gall’s phrenology advocated for strict localization of mental faculties to specific brain regions and suggested that their development caused bumps on the skull. Flourens’ aggregate field theory countered this, arguing that complex behaviors involve the entire brain working collectively, even though specific regions have distinct roles.
Describe how Flourens’ studies supported or challenged Gall’s theories.
Flourens’ ablation studies supported the idea that certain brain regions had specific roles, such as the cerebellum for motor coordination and the brainstem for vital functions. However, he challenged Gall’s strict localization claims, arguing that higher-order functions like memory and cognition involved distributed processes across the brain. His work emphasized a more integrative view of brain function.
Describe one methodological innovation that advanced cognitive neuroscience.
Reaction time studies by Franciscus Donders introduced the idea of measuring mental
processes indirectly. By comparing reaction times across different cognitive tasks, Donders demonstrated that internal processes like decision-making could be quantified. This laid the foundation for experimental approaches in cognitive neuroscience.
The science of the structure and function of the nervous system
Neuroscience
The action or process of acquiring knowledge and understanding.
Cognitive Psychology
Learning is more effective when visuals and spoken words are presented together.
Dual-Coding Theory
Why does the dual-coding theory work?
It activates both visual and verbal systems for deeper processing and better recall.
What does the Dual-Coding theory do?
Reduces cognitive load and helps retain information longer.
What is the Dual-Coding Theory supported by, and what does it demonstrate?
It is supported by cognitive psychology, demonstrating that multi-sensory learning enhances retention.
Studies the mind through behavior
Psychology
Knowledge through reasoning
Rationalism
Knowledge through experience
Empiricism
The totality of an individual’s experience shapes mental development.
Sensory experience -> simple ideas -> complex ideas
Associationism
Who believes that Internal mental processes can be measured in reproducible ways?
Hermann Ebbinghaus
Who believes that adaptive behavior is the basis for operant conditioning?
Edward Thorndike
Learned behaviors that reflect an individual’s social and practical competence to meet the demands of everyday living
Adaptive behavior
Who had a focus on stimulus-response and that Psychology is the science of observable behavior?
John Watson
Known for establishing the psychological theory of behaviorism. He believed that psychology should be the science of observable behavior. His research included the Little Albert experiment, which demonstrated that a child could be conditioned to fear a neutral stimulus
John B. Watson
An American psychologist whose work on animal behaviour and the learning process led to the theory of connectionism, which states that behavioral responses to specific stimuli are established through a process of trial and error that affects neural connections between the stimuli and the most satisfying responses.
Edward L. Thorndike
A German psychologist who pioneered the experimental study of memory. He discovered the forgetting curve and the spacing effect. The forgetting curve shows us that memory declines the sharpest within 20 minutes of initial learning, and then after an hour, our memory loses about half of the new information
Hermann Ebbinghaus
