Cognitive Approach - Reliability of Cognitive Processes

The schema theory

• It's a mental representation/understanding of what something  is 

• We use schema to organize categories of information and the relationships among them.

• Experience or learn things and then build on those schemas 

• Adaptation is the foundation of the piaget's theory of cognitive development

• Adaptation is the process of taking in, processing and using new information 

• This process enables us to adjust to changes in our environment

• Adaptation has 2 process: assimilation and accommodation 

• assimilation - organize that new information so that it fits with and existing schema 

• Accommodation - changing an existing schema or creating a new schema to fit the new information

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Reconstructive Memory

• Human memory is not stable but rather a reconstruction that may be altered over time, through discussions with others.  
• Retrieval of memory - influenced by perception, past experience, cultural factors

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Cognitive Biases

• Systematic errors in thinking - affects decision making and judgments 
• Use heuristics - when we don't have time/resources/desire.
• Heuristics are mental shortcuts to come to a decision
• Biases influence our decision making sometimes because of ego depletion - a lack of self control or will-power. 
• Demonstrate cognitive biases when our cognitive load is too high - too many things on our mind (in working memory) and does not allow us the mental resources for a solution

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Anchoring Biases

• Tendency to rely too heavily on the first piece of information offered when making decisions
• Anchoring occurs when individuals use an initial piece of info to make subsequent judgments
• Many effects on behaviour - one of them is the effect of anchoring on a judge’s verdict

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