Cognitive approach - Approaches

What are the 4 assumptions?

behaviour is explained through Internal mental processes,

-theoretical models, such as mediational processes

-Our brain works like a computer , inputting, storing

- Conscious thoughts can influence behaviour

What are examples of internal mental processes?

Attention, thinking, retrieving information.

How does the cognitive approach research internal mental processes?

They cannot be observed so psychologists study them indirectly and make inferences about them.

What is an inference?

making assumptions on what is going on in the brain through observations of their behaviour

What can theoretical models be used for?

to simply understand and observe internal mental processes

What is an important theoretical model?

The MSM, this shows how our mental process works in each stage and how memory can strenghten/be lost

Why was the computer assumption created?

Because there are similarities in the way a computer and a brain process information.

How can a brain be compared to a computer model?

Because computer models use concepts of a central processing unit (the brain), coding (turning information into a usable format), and the use of stores to hold information, e.g. the WMM.

what do our brains do that computers do

input, store and retrieve information

How are schemas formed

they are created through EXPERIENCES

What are mental schemas?

mental structures that organize our knowledge about the social world, helps us understand how to peform in society,

What do mental schemas allow the brain to do?

Quickly interpret incoming information. Ie how to act in a classroom

What does the cognitive approach believe about babies?

They are born with simple motor schemas for innate behaviour e.g. sucking.

What does the cognitive approach believe happens as we grow?

Experience adds to our schemas so they become more detailed and sophisticated e.g. Beck's negative triad.

What is cognitive neuroscience?

A way to link biology (brain function) and cognitive processes to explain behaviour.

Why has cognitive neuroscience now been achieved?

As technology has developed scanning methods e.g. fMRI and EEG's

What does a typical study involve?

The researcher scanning and recording the ppt's brain as they perform a specific task.

What is an example of a study using cognitive neuroscience?

Tulving using fMRI to scan the brains of ppts. He established that episodic and semantic LTM are handled by different hemispheres.

What is a strength of the cognitive approach relating to its method?

It uses highly controlled scientific research methods, meaning the research and conclusions are objective

What is a strength of the cognitive approach in general?

It has useful applications , As it has been applied to many areas of psychology .

where has the cognitive approach been applied in other areas of psychology

in psychopathology it has been used to show how abnormal behaviour can be caused by distorted thought processes

How did the cognitive approach improve the validity of SLT?

The addition of a cognitive element gave it a more complete explanation of our mental processes when learning through observing

What is the limitation of the cognitive approach's use of lab based methods?

They can lack ecological validity, as the tasks don’t mimic real life and are usually artificial and controlled.

What is a limitation of using inferences

They're assumptions that go beyond the available evidence, This can lead to poor explanations

What is a negative criticism of cognitive therapies?

They treat the symptoms rather than the cause of abnormality, so while CBT is useful for helping reduce symptoms of depression, it doesn't solve the cause, limiting the cognitive approaches validity

What is a limitation of the cognitive approach relating to computers' differences to humans?

Machine reductionism, the computer idea reduces the complexability of the human brain to the simple inputting and storing of a computer

What is the strength of the cognitive approach relating to cognitive neuroscience?

It has allowed researchers to record brain activity and draw conclusions about the areas of the brain that are active during specific tasks, which presumably will be the same in everyday life as in lab studies.

Where has cognitive neuroscience been used in other topics

in the schizophrenia topic, allen et al found that those with schizophrenia had lower activation in the superior temporal gyrus and anterior cingulate gyrus than those in the control group

What debate does the cognitive neuroscienceadd to

Nature nurture debate, seeing the effects of brain plastiicty, maguire et al found that experience changed brains. adds strength tto the nurture debate