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Why Make Assumptions?

  • Need for Assumptions: Assumptions are integral to the study of the mind as they shape the questions researchers ask.

  • Types of Assumptions:

    • Important Questions: Decisions on which aspects of the mind to study are influenced by assumptions.

    • Beliefs About the Mind: General beliefs affect how we approach topics like vision, attention, and memory.

Philosophical Underpinnings

  • Historical Context: Philosophers have debated on understanding the mind for over 2,400 years. The systematic study began significantly later, around 125 years ago.

  • Key Philosophical Questions:

    • How is knowledge acquired?

      • Perception: Access to knowledge about our environment.

      • Memory: Retaining knowledge for later use.

      • Nature vs. Nurture: Innate knowledge vs. knowledge gained through experience.

  • Greek Contributions:

    • Assumptions that the world operates predictably and that humans are part of the physical world shaped psychological inquiry.

The Beginnings of Modern Psychology

  • Wundt and the Establishment of Psychology (1879):

    • Wilhelm Wundt is credited with founding modern psychology, although significant work predated him.

    • Introspectionism: Wundt’s method of studying conscious experience met with limitations.

The Response: Behaviorism

  • Fundamentals of Behaviorism by John Watson:

    • Focus on observable behavior.

    • Ignoring consciousness as an unsuitable subject for psychology.

    • Aim to simplify psychological theories and find basic building blocks of behavior.

  • Successes and Limitations:

    • Behaviorism remained dominant until the late 1950s but failed to account for language and cognitive processes like memory.

How Do Cognitive Psychologists Study the Mind?

  • Cognitive Psychology Emergence: In response to behaviorism’s limitations, cognitive psychology likened the mind to a computer.

  • Information Processing Model:

    • Assumes that the mind processes information similarly to a computer using representations and processes.

  • Critique of Behaviorism:

    • Cognitive psychologists moved beyond mere observations, incorporating strategies and abstract constructs to explain behavior adequately.

  • Neuroscience and Artificial Intelligence Influence:

    • Insights from these fields supported the use of abstract constructs in psychology.

    • Example with H.M.: A famous case illustrating how brain damage affects memory, providing evidence for constructs like primary memory.

Cognitive Psychologists’ Approach to Research

  • Assumptions in Research:

    • Cognitive psychologists believe in both representations and processes governing cognitive tasks.

    • The complexity of cognition arises from multiple interrelated processes occurring within each task.

  • Understanding with Examples:

    • Everyday communication (like answering questions) involves numerous steps that illustrate cognitive processes at work.

Key Terms

  • Abstract Construct: Represents an idea or process that cannot be directly observed but is inferred.

  • Deterministic vs Nondeterministic: Views on whether behavior can be predicted by observing causes or if free will plays a role.

  • Cognitive Processes: Processes through which we perceive, remember, and respond to information.