Cognitive Approaches

These flashcards cover key concepts and terms related to cognitive psychology as discussed in the lecture notes.

Cognitive Psychology

A branch of psychology that studies mental processes including how people think, perceive, remember, and learn.

Assumptions of Cognitive Psychology

People actively interpret their environment and cognitively construct their world, influenced by external stimuli and internal perceptions.

Faulty Perceptions

Erroneous beliefs or misunderstandings about oneself or one's environment that can lead to problem behavior.

Holism

The idea that systems and their properties should be viewed as wholes, not just as a collection of parts.

Information-Processing Theory

A cognitive theory that likens the human mind to a computer, emphasizing how information is processed, stored, and retrieved.

Assimilation

The process of integrating new experiences into existing cognitive frameworks without changing the framework.

Accommodation

The process of altering existing cognitive frameworks to include new experiences.

Cognitive Development Stages (Piaget)

Four age-related stages: Sensorimotor, Preoperational, Concrete Operational, and Formal Operational, that describe how children's thinking evolves.

Learned Helplessness

A psychological condition where a person feels unable to control their situation due to repeated failures, leading to passivity.

Positive Psychology

The scientific study of human flourishing and optimal human functioning, founded by Martin Seligman.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

A therapeutic approach that aims to change negative thought patterns into positive ones through testing beliefs.

Ecological Validity

The extent to which research findings can be generalized to real-world settings.

Cognitive Distortions

Unhelpful thinking patterns that contribute to the development of psychological issues, such as anxiety and depression.

Reciprocal Relationship

The interconnected nature of behavior, cognition, and personal characteristics in cognitive theory.

Sociocultural Cognitive Theory (Vygotsky)

The theory that social interactions play a fundamental role in the development of cognition.