COGNITIVE: overall evaluation

Question 1

Interactionist

Answer 1

• strength is its stance in nature nurture debate
• debate is whether approach explains behaviour in terms of innate factors of environmental factors
• interactionist best as takes into account all factors in its explanation of behaviour
• cognitive interactionist and sees behaviour as product of of interactions between innate and environment
• universal internal mental processes (nature) and how the enviro impacts behaviour via schemata and memory (nurture)
  —> interactionist

Question 2

Determinist

Answer 2

• weakness - believes behaviour is not under our control
• moral implications of how behaviour is explained. Determinism sees behaviour as product of forces beyond control of the individual, leading to conclusion that we have no control over our actions
• cognitive allows some degree of free will but assumes controlled by internal mental processes such as schemas which shape our thinking and view of world
• explain mental illness in terms of how we perceive ourselves in the world
  —> deterministic

Question 3

Reductionist

Answer 3

• weakness - not a complete view of causes of behaviour
• break down complex behaviour into smaller, easier to understand bits. Reductionist is scientific as produces testable explanations
• can over simplify complex behaviour which gives a limited explanation
• computer analogy compares human mind to a computer - humans significantly more complex ie emotions, genetics, evolution etc and so too simple to explain it like a computer
  —> reductionist (not a comprehensive explanation)

Question 4

Nomothetic

Answer 4

• weakness - generalises behaviour for everyone
• concerned with similarities we share with others and use it to establish laws or generalisations that are universal
• cognitive approach uses laboratory methods ie loftus and palmer with verbs and speed estimates, then assume that their sample of 195 college students can be generalised to everyone
  —> nomothetic (cannot explain individual differences)

Question 5

Application

Answer 5

• strength
• influenced many areas of psychology and is one of its biggest strengths. Applied cognitive psychology
• CBT which uses assumption of internal mental processes to explain irrational thoughts and challenge them, making them rational. Faulty processing in computer analogy lead to mental illness
  —> treat depression, anxiety etc - 71% of 58 patients with Cahill et al showed reduction of symptoms
  —> application in real world

Question 6

Scientific

Answer 6

• strength
• uses controlled research methods to investigate behaviour ie labs
• enable relationships to be established between IVs and DVs = scientific
• Loftus and Palmer - control of variables, IV and DV, internal validity, standardised procedures which are replicable
  —> scientific validity