Introduction

Question 1

What does cognition refer to?

Answer 1

Processes relating to knowledge, or information.

• Acquisition
• Storage
• Transformation
• Use

Question 2

• What does cognitive psychology utilise?
• Major goal
• Assumption

Answer 2

• Utilises the information-processing approach to understanding mental processes
• Major Goal: Specify the processes and structures involved in cognition
• Assumption: Processing in people resembles that in computers

Question 3

What does cognitive psychology tell us?

Answer 3

The information processing approach uses the metaphor of the human mind as a computer. The information processing approach was important historically because it allowed psychological research to step outside the constraints of behaviourism, where only observable phenomena (stimulus-response) could be studied. This allowed for the scientific study of internal processes such as attention and memory.

Processes handle info in systematic ways to help us make sense of the world.

Tell us what processes do. Interested in what is happening and how.

It allowed us to step away from behaviourism and study internal processes that we can’t directly observe.

Question 4

Key concepts:
Top-down vs bottom-up

Answer 4

Top- down information:
Pre-existing knowledge in the mind that helps to interpret environmental stimuli. This knowledge can be learned or innate.
(information from knowledge)

Bottom-up processing:
Information taken directly from environmental stimuli. Eg. The colours, shapes and contrasts produced by reflected light when we look at a face.
(information from environment)

Question 5

Key concepts:
Serial vs Parallel processing

Answer 5

Serial processing is what the main processor in your computer does. It processes one thing at a time.

Parallel processing is what the mind does. It processes any different things all at the same time.

Question 6

What are the main approaches to studying cognitive processes?

Answer 6

1. Experimental cognitive psychology (behavioural)
   If an experimental manipulation affects one type if task, but not another type of task we can (start to) make inferences about the cognitive processes used by those tasks. Non clinical pp’s.

Exploring whether an experimental manipulation affects one type of task but not another then inferences can be made about the cognitive processes.

2. Cognitive neuropsychology (brain damage)
   If a patient with neuropsychological has deficits in some tasks, but not other tasks we can (start to) make inferences about the cognitive processing systems used by those tasks.
3. Computational cognitive science (computer modelling)
   Using simulations of cognitive processes can be used to make inferences about how processing systems might interact and the constraints a system might have for the performance of cognitive tasks.
   Related to but not the same as AI.
4. Cognitive Neuroscience (brain imaging)
   Allows correlation of brain activity location and timing with specific types of tasks.

Question 7

1. What are cognitive processes?
2. What is cognitive psychology the study of?

Answer 7

1. Cognitive processes are the functions performed by the mind.
2. Cognitive psychology is the study of cognitive processes.