Save
Psychology
Approaches
Cognitive Approach
Save
Share
Learn
Content
Leaderboard
Share
Learn
Created by
Rosie
Visit profile
Cards (11)
What is the cognitive approach?
Opposite of
behaviourist
approach as it looks at internal workings of the mind and explains behaviour through
cognitive
processes eg, how we think
Cognitive psychologists explain behaviour by looking at...
Perception,
Language
, Attention and
Memory
Computers are often used to expain
behaviour
Behaviour is explained in terms of information
processing
(how computers deal with info)
The 3 general principles of the cognitive approach =
-Our mental systems
have a
limited capacity
-A control mechanism oversees
all
mental principles
-There
is a
two-way flow
of
information
Our mental systems have a
limited capacity
=
The
amount
of
information
that can be
processed
will be
influenced
by how
demanding
the
task
is and how much other
informaton
is being
processed
A
control mechanism
oversees all
mental processes
=
This will require
more processing power
for
new tasks
, leaving
less available
for
everything else
There is a
two-way flow
of
information
=
We
take
in
information
from the
world
,
process
it, and
react
to it. We also use our
knowledge
and
experiences
to
understand
the
world
Data Input
=
Computer
-
Info coming in via
a
keyboard
then signals pass through wires
Human
-
Info coming
in
from
the world
through 5 senses then signals pass
through
neurones
Data Processing
=
Computer
-
computer processor
and then signals pass through wires
Human
-
brain
then signals pass through neurones
Data Output
=
Computer
-
Info output
to a
moniter
Human
-
Info passed back
out for
action
Differences between humans and people =
-Humans are influenced by
emotional
and
motivational
factors where as computers aren't
-Humans have
unlimited
but
reliable
memory where as computeers have
limited
but
reliable
data
-Humans have
free
will within
decisions