The cognitive approach

Assumptions

Assumptions

• Argues that internal mental processes can, and should, be studied scientifically. As a result, this has allowed for investigation of human behaviour that was neglected by the behaviourists, such as memory, perception, and thinking. These processes are 'private' and cannot be observed, so they are studied indirectly by making inferences about what is going on inside people's minds on the basis of their behaviour

The role of schema

• Cognitive processing can often be affected by a person's belief or expectations, which are often referred to as this. They are 'packages' of ideas and information developed through experience. They act as a mental framework for the interpretation of incoming information received by the cognitive system. They enable us to process lots of information quickly and this is useful as a sort of mental shortcut that prevents us from being overwhelmed by environmental stimuli

• As we get older, this becomes more detailed and sophisticated. Adults have developed mental representations for everything from the concept of psychology to a framework for what happens in a restaurant.

Theoretical and computer models

• Cognitive psychologists use these to help them understand internal mental processes. This includes the information processing approach, which suggests that information flows through the cognitive system in a sequence of stages. These include input, storage, and retrieval, as in the multi-store model.

• Another model used would involve programming a machine to see if such instructions produce a similar output to humans. If they do we can suggest that similar processes are going on in the human mind. Such models have proved useful in the development of 'thinking machines' or artificial intelligence.

Strengths

• The approach uses objective, scientific methods. Cognitive psychologists employ highly controlled and rigorous methods of study so researchers are able to infer cognitive processes at work. This has involved the use of lab studies to produce reliable, objective data. This means that the study of the mind has a credible scientific basis.

• Since it relies on inference rather than direct observation, it can occasionally suffer from being to abstract and theoretical. Similarly, research studies of internal processes are often carried out using artificial stimuli that may not represent everyday experience. Therefore, research on cognitive processes may lack external validity.

• The approach has real-life application. The cognitive approach has been applied to a wide range of practical and theoretical contexts. For example, cognitive psychology has made an important contribution in the field of artificial intelligence. Cognitive principles have also been applied to the treatment of depression and improved the reliability of eyewitness testimony. This supports the value of the cognitive approach.

Limitations

• The approach is based on machine reductionism. There are similarities between the human mind and the operations of a 'thinking machine' such as a computer. However, the computer analogy has been criticised. Such machine reductionism ignores the influence of human emotion and motivation on the cognitive system, and how this may affect our ability to process information. For instance, research has found that human memory may be affected by emotional factors, such as the influence of anxiety on EWT. This suggests that machine reductionism may weaken the validity of the cognitive approach.

Cognitive neuroscience

• The scientific study of the influence of brain structures on mental processes.

The emergence of cognitive neuroscience

• Mapping brain areas to specific cognitive functions has a long history in psychology. For instance, as early as the 1860s Broca had identified how damage to an area of the frontal lobe (Broca's area) could permanently impair speech production.

• Recently, there has been advances in brain imaging techniques such as fMRI and PET scans, enabling scientists being able to systematically observe and describe the neurological basis of mental processes and mental disorders. The focus has also expanded recently to include the use of computer-generated models that 'read' the brain. This could improve EWT.