Cognitive approach

• Key assumptions:

  • making inferences
  • internal processes to understand behaviour
  • how people perceive, store, manipulate and interpret information
• Schema - Cognitive framework that helps organise and interpret information. It is developed from past experiences, making shortcuts and we are born with basic ones.
• The role of theoretical and computer models:

  How can we study internal processes using theoretical models?

  Information processing approach- suggests information flows through the cognitive system in stages. Input= storage= retrieval. The mind and computer store info.
• The role of theoretical and computer models:

  What does the information processing model suggest?

  That our brain has an input, storage and retrieval stage.
• The role of theoretical and computer models:

  The development of computers in the 1960s led to the computer analogy. How has this been used to explain how the mind works?

  Central processing unit- 'coding' as the way information is turned into a useable format.
• Information processing approach:

  1. Input -from the environment, via the senses
  2. Processing- info is coded and processes eg. using schema
  3. Output- observable behaviour
• Emergence of cognitive neuroscience:

  • Aphasia-loss of speech, fluent, non-fluent, left hemisphere
  • Paul Broca studied a brain damaged patient named Tan after he died-autopsy, left hemisphere, only part was damaged and named it the Broca's area
  • Wernicke's- studied the brain of another patient, which had fluent aphasia. Found another part of the left hemisphere damaged and named it the wernicke's area
  • Fluent- muddled speech, thinking (comprehended)
  • Non-fluent - limited amount of speech, barely comprehend
• AO3:

  • Limitation- compares the human mind to a computer which is arguably an inaccurate analogy.E.G terms such as 'encoding' ,'storage' and 'retrieval' are borrowed directly form he field of computing. Difference between the sort of information processing that takes place within a computer program compared to within the human mind. Raises questions about the credibility of this approach in explaining human behaviour.
• AO3:

  • Strength- can explain different internal mental processes. E.G. the approach has been applied to psychopathology to explain how much of the dysfunctional behaviour shown by people can be explained hu faulty thinking processes. These insights have led to successful treatment using cognitive- based intervention, of people suffering from disorders such as OCD and depression. Practical application, useful approah
• AO3:

  • Limitation- ignores emotion and motivation. E.G. the role of emotion and motivation has been largely ignored by this approach. This is not surprising given that approaches that focus on the motivational processes in bheaviout9e.g. freud) largely ignore cognitive processes involved in behaviour. Lack of focus on motivational states may be explained by the over-dependence on information processing analogies, as motivation is clearly irrelevant to a computer. Not a complete approach and lacks in credibility/validity.