The Cognitive Approach

What is this approach focused on?

How our mental processes (thoughts, perceptions, attention) affect our behaviour.

What does this approach argue?

Internal mental processes should and can be studied scientifically.

What does the CA contradict?

Behaviourist Approach

How does the CA contradict the BA?

The cognitive approach has studied those areas of the brain that the behaviourist approach has neglected— memory, perception & thinking.

These processes are private and unobservable —> cognitive psychologists have to study them indirectly by making inferences —> making a

What are 2 types of models to help our understanding of internal & mental processes?

1. Theoretic models

2. Computer models

What does the information processing approach suggest?

Information flows through the cognitive system in a sequence of stages.

What is information picked up from?

Our senses and enters our brain

What schema is it processed through?

Input —> Processing —> Output

How are computer models similar to our minds?

These models use the concept of

• a central processing unit (the brain)

• the concept of coding (to turn information into a useable format)

• the use of stores to hold information.

What are schemas?

Folders or packages of ideas and information that are developed through experience.

These folders increase in number and become more sophisticated overtime.

What is the role of a schema?

Acts as a mental framework for the interpretation of incoming info and help us respond to the stimuli.

What do schemas help us organise?

Helps us organise information —> when incoming info doesn’t ‘fit’ our existing schema accommodation occurs 

• (We change our schema to accommodate new information)

What is the purpose of a schema?

Schemas enable us to process lots of information quickly —> useful as a mental short-cut that prevents us from being overwhelmed by environmental stimuli.

What are the weaknesses of a schema?

• Distort our interpretation of sensory information.

• Lead to perceptual errors or inaccurate memories.

• Cause biased recall

Why is the CA ignoring the influence of emotion and motivation a weakness?

P: One weakness of the cognitive approach is that it ignores the influence of emotion and motivation.

E:This approach compares the mind to the operations of a computer, suggesting there are similarities such as inputs and outputs, storage systems and the use of a central processor.

E: Why is this a weakness?

This is a weakness because it ignores the influence of emotion and motivation on the cognitive system and how this may affect our ability to process information

Can you think of an example:

Research has found anxiety can have an influence on how we process information. When we have high levels of anxiety, recall is poor as we focus our attention on the source of anxiety such as the weapon. So do not process other details of the offender such as height or hair colour.

L: This is a weakness as the approach is machine reductionist

Why is the CA using scientific and objective methods a strength?

P: One strength is that the cognitive approach uses scientific and objective methods.

E:  This approach uses lab experiments which are highly controlled and have standardised procedures. This is a strength as the research can be repeated to try and find similar results so the cognitive approach is reliable.

BUT, this approach is also unscientific. WHY?

The cognitive approach relies on the inference of mental processes rather then direct observation of behaviour. This is an indirect, unobservable measure of the brain. Additionally, research studies of mental processes are often carried out using artificial stimuli such as tests of memory involving word lists, that may not represent everyday experience

L: Therefore research on cognitive processes may also lack external validity.

Why is the CA demonstrating soft determinism a strength?

P: One strength of the cognitive approach is that it demonstrates soft determinism

E: Define soft determinism

Soft determinism involves acknowledging that human behaviour is influenced to some extent by internal or external forces but we still have an element of free will.

E: The cognitive approach is an example of soft determinism. As it suggests that we are choosers of our own thoughts and behaviours, yet these choices can only operate within the limits of what we know and have experienced. This is a strength as it proves a complete global account of human behaviour.