cognitive

AO1

• the cognitive approach assumes:

  • the mind actively processes information from our senses

  • there are complex mental processes between stimulus and response, which can be studied scientifically

  • humans can be seen as data processing systems

  • the workings of a computer and the human mind are similar - they encode and store information and they have outputs

• study of internal mental processes

  • using experimental research methods, the cognitive approach studies internal mental processes like attention, memory and decision making

  • theoretical and computer models are proposed to attempt to explain and infer info about mental processes

  • the information processing model - describes the mind as a computer, encoding incoming information, manipulating this mentally and directing an output

• schemas

  • an internal ‘script’ for how to act or what to expect from a given situation

  • schemas are like stereotypes and alter mental processing of incoming information

    • role in EWT can be negative because memory become distorted to what the person expects to see, rather than what actually happens

• cognitive neuroscience

  • incorporates neuroscience techniques, such as brain scans, to study the impact of brain structures on cognitive processes

AO3

• a strength of the cognitive approach is that it has high validity

• research within the cognitive approach uses scientific methods such as brain scans and experiments in highly controlled lab settings which produces empirical evidence. research has also been rigorously evaluated to reach accurate conclusions on how the mind works

• However, reducing mental processes to measurable experimental variables could lessen how much the findings apply to real life ie learning lists of words to study memory is reflective of daily life and thus, lacks ecological validity

• therefore, the cognitive approach has internal validity due to rigorous scientific methods that allows objective and reasoned inferences about how mental processes but these methods lack ecological validity.

• another strength of the cognitive approach is that it has significant RWA

• for example, the approach has led to to therapies like CBT

• understanding mental processes has allowed CBT to challenge psychological disorders like depression where negative self thought is a key characteristic

• these treatments, which aim to change dysfunctional ways of thinking has been shown to be successful in some mental disorders which suggests that the cognitive approach has significance in treating people.

• a limitation of the cognitive approach is that it is machine reductionist

• the use of computer models reduces the human mind to separate measurable components and ignore the influence of human emotion and motivation which can significantly impact and alter the way humans process and make decisions

• its reductionist nature means that researchers miss out key parts of mental processing, which can make findings less reliable if key factors affecting decision making are ignored. furthermore it oversimplifies human behaviour by ignoring the complex social context in which behaviour occurs

• therefore, the cognitive approach lacks validity