psych approaches - Cognitive Approach

Cognitive means what? what does approach fiocs on

thinking. It focuses on how ppl percieve, store, and manioulate, and inteprret info from outside world around them which is recieved through the senses and is processed by various systems in the brain

Role of models - computer

computer modeel refers to the process of using computer analogies as a represenation of humancognition.

Explain computer model

Using a compute analogy, info is inputted through the senses, encoded into memory, tjen combined with previously stored info to complete a task

Info processing model - based on what 

suggests that information flows through the cognitive system in a sequence of stages that include input, processing, and output. Based on Serial processing and is linear.

serial processing means

one piecee of info is processed at a time

Linear meaning

cannot skip a stage

steps in info processing model

input, process, output

Mental proceses that contribute to information processing

Attention (selecting important info), thinking (using it to solve problems), storage, (storing it in memor), retrival (retriving it as and when needed)

Cognitive approach recognises that mental prcesses cannot be…. therefore must be …

cannot be studied directly (bc we dont know what occurs in someones head) therefore must be measured indirectly based on a result of measuring behaviour.

Inference

reaching a logical conclusion based on evidence and reasoning. Allows for cog psycholisgists to develop theories on metal processes

How do cog psychologists develop theories if brain cannot be directly studied

inference

Cognitive appraoach is study of

internal mental processes, schemas, and using models and inferences to explain mental processes.

Theoritical models in cognitive pych meaning and ex

simplified presentations based on current research evidnece. Ex is multi store model of memory

fill in multi store memory model

Explain how the multi store model of memory by Atkins works

1. sensory info from the enviroment (input) and enters sensory register for a very short time

2. if attention is paid to the input the info is transferred to STM

3. rehearsal keeps info in STM

4. if info is not rehearesed it will dcay or be replaced by new info

5. rehersal in STM transfers info to LTM for storage

6. When we need info we retrive it (output)

Schema

Cognitive framework that helps organize and interpret info in memory and is based on experience

Role of schemas in memroisation

Ppl use schemas and existing knowledge to make sense of new info and we fill in the gaps using schema driven knowledge.

Schemas are important bc

they help us simplify a complex social world and take shortcuts when interpreting a huge amount of info from the world via our senses.

Eval cognitive memory - strength

scientific methodds - use of experimental method w a highly controlled for collecting evidence in order to infer about cognitive processes. This encahnces cridibility of fingidngs and makes it replicable. 

prac app - made us understand moore of cause of psych disorders like depresion. depression for ex is characterized by negative thoughts about life and self. this has led to treatment of patients using cognitive based therapy, focusing on changing irrational thots to rationals thoughts. CBT is most common therapy in UK and has a high success rate

Eval cog - cons (use booklet for deets)

• studies tend to use tasks that have little in common w natural everyday (therefore unlikely able to generalise findings and lacks ecological validity

• uses computer model to explain human coding. (big diff between sort of info processinf within a program and a human mind. Computers dont forget or ignore info like humans.)

• it can tell us how diff cognitive processes take place, but not why. (ignores emotion adn motive)