Cognitive Approach

Question 1

What is the cognitive approach?

Answer 1

• ‘Cognitive’ means mental processes so the approach is focused on how mental processes affect behaviour

Question 2

Internal mental processes

Answer 2

• ‘Private’ operations of the mind such as perception and attention that lie between stimulus and response

Question 3

Schema DEFINITION

Answer 3

A collection of ideas about a person or situation formed through experience

Question 4

Inference

Answer 4

• Process where conclusions are drawn about the way mental processes operate based on observed behaviour

Question 5

Cognitive neuroscience definition

Answer 5

Scientific study of biological structures that underpin cognitive processes

Question 6

Core assumptions

Answer 6

• Thoughts can and should be studied scientifically
• Humans process information like computers
• Mental processes lie between stimulus and response
• Humans organise and manipulate information from the environment

Question 7

What is the information processing model (Miller 1950)

Answer 7

• We can develop models about how peoples minds work by comparing input and output
• Models can be used to predict output from a given input
• Suggests information flows through cognitive system in stages
  
  • Encoding - info from environment like smell
  • Transformation - of info using mental processes
  • Output of behavioural response - speech or behaviour

Question 8

What is the mind is like a black box?

Answer 8

• Psychologists study mental processes but mental rpocesses cannot be directly observed

Question 9

Computer analogy

Answer 9

• Brain is similar to that of a computer, the brain is the solid hardware and thoughts are the software

Question 10

Mackworth 1948

Answer 10

• Radar simulation used to imitate events on screen and detecting whether object were detected or not
• Results showed 30 minutes was the maximum time for vigilance without missing objects on screen
• Shows humans don’t process information like computer
• His experiment used to reduce error in jobs today like security or life guards - after 30/40 minutes you should switch

Question 11

Connectionist model (McCllellend 1986)

Answer 11

• Many stimuli activate a set of nodes which have develped due to learning association
• Priming is recalling something if a memory is jogged by a related concept
  
  • Supports conncetionist model as activation of on node activates another showing concepts are related

Question 12

Schemas

Answer 12

• E.g. man wearing a hoodie and gloves on a hot day would be suspicious
• Schemas protect us and help us work out the environment around us
• Negative aspects: prejudice, negative behaviour projected at others

Question 13

Cognitive neuroscience

Answer 13

• Combination of several scientific disciplines
• Invention of brain scanning techniques helped us look at the brain
  
  • PET scans radioactive glucose is injected into bloodstream and travels around body
  • More active areas in brain require more glucose so higher conc of radioactivity are seen as another colour on scanner
• Can diagnose depressiondue to less brain activity seen
• In future could be used to analyse brain wave patterns of eyewitnesses to determine if they are lying in court

Question 14

Strengths

Answer 14

• Models through input and output can predict future behaviour
• Experimental research used and a strength because results are valid
• Cognitive psychology can be applied to real life - Mackowrths experiment proved vigilance cannot be maintained for longer than 30 minutes
  
  • Strength as workers get most out of jobs and dont lose focus

Question 15

Weaknesses

Answer 15

• Studying input and output models are developed, but humans are different to models as we show behaviour
• Experimental research used but life events don’t occur in controlled envrionements, they’re artifical so can’t be generalised to whole public
• When predicting outputs humans not thought as individuals which is limitation as all humans react differently and have different emotions