Cognitive Approach

• What is the cognitive approach?

  • The cognitive approach is concerned with internal mental processes when explaining behaviour, rather than external observable actions
  • Cognitive psychology was largely influenced by Wundt, who wanted to develop ways in which internal mental processes could be studied scientifically and objectively
  • The cognitive approach is concerned with how our thinking affects our behaviour- it assumes that the internal processes of the mind are of prime importance in understanding behaviour
• What are the three assumptions of the cognitive approach?

  • Behaviour can be explained by internal mental processes
  • Behaviour can be explained by schemas
  • Behaviour can be explained using the computer analogy
• Describe the assumption that behaviour can be explained by internal mental processes

  • Cognitive psychologists see human beings as information processors, where essential cognitive processes all work together to enable us to make sense of, and respond to, the world around us
  • Some of the most well studied cognitive processes include perception, attention, memory and language
  • These processes all relate to each other, and constantly work together to help individuals understand their environment
• What are the 4 examples of cognitive processes?


  • Perception
  • Attention
  • Memory
  • Language
• What is perception?

  The outcome of what we understand the object to be, based on attention and memory
• What is attention?


  Paying attention to the object (sensory stimulus)
• What is memory?


  We search through our memory store to see if there is a 'match' with something we have already seen or experienced
• What is language?


  We are able to use our knowledge of language to name what we see
• In what order are the 4 examples of cognitive processes used?

  Attention ---> memory ---> perception ---> language
• What is hostile attribution bias?


  • A type of cognitive bias where individuals tend to interpret the behaviour of others in various situations as threatening, aggressive, or both
  • The individual perceives the situation to be hostile/threatening when it isn't
• Describe the assumption that behaviour can be explained by schemas?


  Schemas organise our knowledge, assist recall, guide our behaviour, enable us to predict likely happenings, and help us make sense of our current experiences
• What are schemas?

  • Schemas are mental structures that represent an aspect of the world, such as an object or an event
  • They are organised packets of information that are built up through experience and stored in our long-term memory
• How do schemas develop?

  • Schemas are derived from prior experiences and knowledge; they set up expectations about what is probable in a particular social context
  • Our experiences add to our schemas; they are refined through further experiences and social interactions with those around us.
  • We assimilate new information into our existing schemas
• How do schemas work in an everyday context?

  Schemas help us to make sense of the world, providing short cuts to identifying things that we come acorss because we cannot possibly process everything separately, it is too much information
• What is a downside to schemas?

  Schemas do not necessarily represent reality, as they may be built up via social exchanges, rather than personal interactions
• What is an example of schemas?


  Barlett's 'War of the ghosts' study:

  • British participants were asked to memorise a short story (named above), from Native American tradition
  • The participants attempted to fit the story into their western schemas and, as a result, distorted it during recall
  • Example: hunting for seals= going fishing; canoe= boat etc
  • This showed that they were not recalling the information exactly a it has been presented to them, instead schemas distorted their memory
• Describe the assumption that behaviour can be explained using the computer analogy

  • Cognitive psychologists have often compared the human mind with a computer
  • They compare how we take in information (input), how we change it/store it (process), and then recall it when necessary (output)
• How does the human mind process information?

  • Our senses work as the input
  • Information is then processed through the cognitive processes of perception, attention and memory
  • It is then stored and retrieved when needed, which is the output
  • Therefore, the mind is compared with the hardware of a computer and the cognitive processes with a computer's software
• What is an example of the computer analogy assumption?


  Multi-store model of memory:

  • The 5 senses (sight, sound, touch, taste and smell) are inputted as sensory memory
  • This is then processed through attention, into the short term memory
  • It is then released into the short term memory, then retrieved back into the short term memory when needed