misc

Question 1

what is cognitive psychology

Answer 1

could be defined as the scientific study (usually controlled experiments) of mental processes.

It is often referred to as the information-processing approach – based on an analogy between the mind and the digital computer

Question 2

propositional representations

Answer 2

’token’ mental representations with semantic properties (tokens with meaning)

Question 3

indirect realism

Answer 3

(representationalism): we access external reality through representations

Question 4

1. Structuralist approach

Answer 4

introspection (e.g. Wundt, 1873)
– Problematic: (1) can’t be verified, (2) different reports, (3) can alter thought processes, (4) assumes mental events conscious
– Behaviourism (hugely influential)

Question 5

human behaviour explained by relationship between stimuli (S) and response (R)

Answer 5

• Classical conditioning (passive S-R association) e.g., Pavlov, Watson
• Operant (behaviour modified through positive/negative reinforcement) e.g., Skinner

Question 6

bottom up

Answer 6

data driven

• begins with an analysis of sensory input
• e.g. light on retina
• perception is built up from low level infomation

Question 7

top down

Answer 7

concept driven

• high level cognitive influences
• knowledge and experience influence perceptions of the world

Question 8

serial information flow

Answer 8

it is sequential or limited processing of information.

piecemeal processing

• bottleneck
• sequential

Question 9

parallel information flow

Answer 9

it is bulk processing or processing more than one thing at a time.

bulk processing

• late/ no bottleneck
• consectutive

Question 10

experimental cognition

Answer 10

• Experimenter controls the variables (e.g. items in word list) in an attempt to study only one particular variable or system (memory capacity)
• Structures are deduced indirectly as a result of measurements of accuracy and reaction time

Question 11

cognitive neuropsychology

Answer 11

• Uses tests and experiments with patient sample sometimes comparing to non-patient sample or other patients.
• How cognitive systems work is deduced based upon brain injuries or abnormalities
– This involves using a very small sample (i.e. 1)
– Relies heavily on double dissociations

Question 12

cognitive neruoscience

Answer 12

brain imaging techniques

Question 13

computational cognition

Answer 13

• Artificial intelligence
– Physical electronics and computer programs
• Connectionism
• Abstract associative networks

Question 14

symbolic representation

Answer 14

something visible that by association or convention represents something else that is invisible; “the eagle is a symbol of the United States”

Question 15

representational accounts

Answer 15

Representational accounts assume that we have some sort of activity in our nervous system (including the brain) that indirectly represents the world around us.

Question 16

non-representational accounts

Answer 16

(e.g. Gibson’ Ecological account, Alva Noe’s access account). Information is directly picked up as we engage/interact with the world.

Question 17

Functional specialisation

Answer 17

each area in the brain is specialised for a specific task