COGNITIVE individual differences and developmental factors

Question 1

what are the individual differences that affect cognitive processes

Answer 1

processing speed and schemas (culture), episodic memory and case studies of brain damaged patients

Question 2

how is processing speed an individual difference

Answer 2

• Sebastian and Hernandez Gil - compared digit spans of Spanish children to British children
• found that culture affected memory
• English had one more digit to their memory span (thought due to less syllables)

Question 3

why is Sebastian and Hernandez-Gil’s study a strength for explaining individual difference

Answer 3

• used strict controls - excluded participants with hearing, reading, or language impairments
• could have an effect on results
• increases internal validity

Question 4

how are schemas an individual difference

Answer 4

• affected by upbringing and nurture
• schemas represent stereotypical beliefs about objects/ events
• reconstructive memory is affected by cultural variation
• Baddeley’s War of the Ghosts - paddles and canoes became boat and oars

Question 5

why is Bartlett’s study a weakness to explain individual differences

Answer 5

• only tested on participants from Cambridge
• all similar cultural backgrounds
• makes the results not generalisable - ethnocentric

Question 6

how is episodic memory an individual difference

Answer 6

• individual to the person - life memories
• individuals have unique memories about people, places, events and times

Question 7

why is episodic memory a strength for individual differences

Answer 7

• psychologists used this to encourage dementia patients to talk about past events
• dementia usually have episodic memories
• cause less strain than recalling factual information

Question 8

how is case studies of brain damaged patients an individual difference

Answer 8

• some people may have damage from birth/ illness/ accident
• areas damaged will result in different cognitive processes impaired

Question 9

why is case studies a weakness

Answer 9

• they are unique to individuals so can’t compare them as if they are the same

Question 10

what are the developmental factors

Answer 10

development of the phonological loop and development of Alzheimer’s disease

Question 11

how is phonological loop a developmental factor

Answer 11

• deals with verbal information
• affected by age (younger = shorter digit span)
• capacity increases with age

Question 12

what is the strength of the phonological loop as a developmental factor

Answer 12

Sebastian and Hernandez-Gil found digit span increased with age of Spanish children
- peaked around 17 years old
- supports the increase between 5 and 17

Question 13

what is the weakness of the phonological loop being a developmental factor

Answer 13

• evidence is limited - only Spanish children from Madrid (ethnocentric)
• may differ in other Spanish children - can’t generalise

Question 14

how is the development of Alzheimer’s a developmental factor

Answer 14

normal age process = loss of general cognitive functioning
- Alzheimer’s increases this loss
- initially deteriorates new memories
- cognitive process decline rapidly

Question 15

what is the strength of the development of Alzheimer’s

Answer 15

• knowledge of the limitations leads to useful applications
• can implement practical ways to tackle memory loss
• applying need to rehearse (MSM) leads to routines

Question 16

what is the weakness of the development of Alzheimer’s

Answer 16

reductionist - memory ability affected by many factors not just age
- isolates age

Question 17

what are the overall strengths and weaknesses

Answer 17

• useful application in schools but alternative reasoning (genetics, possible stress in environment)