Cognitive approach

• Assumptions

  • human informational processing is similar to a computer, with the info inputs, its stores and retrieves info and has various programmes that determine the response
  • the human mind is studied indirectly by making inferences based on behaviour
  • Well controlled lab studies used
• Models

  • theoretical models - simplified, abstract diagrams of a cognitive process (e.g msm)
  • computer models - programmes that can be run on a computer to imitate the human mind (e.g ai chatbots)
• Schemas

  • Ways we organise and store thoughts and info
  • Help us organise info that causes us to predict what’s coming next
  • allows us to take short cuts when dealing with large amounts of info
  • they can distort memory
• Cognitive neuroscience

  • A discipline that is a combination of multiple disciplines - cognitive psychologists, cognitive science and neuroscience
  • different to cognitive psychology because it considers physiological reasons instead of just psychological.
  • uses brain imaging (PET, MRI and fMRI) to map brain areas to specific cognitive functions
• Strengths

  • uses scientific and objective methods
  • uses controlled rigorous methods
  • 2 areas of cognitive and biological science come together to enhance scientific basis of study
  • can be applied to real life - helps to treat disorders specifically
• Weaknesses

  • similarities between human mind and computers but the computer analogy has been criticised (emotion can affect behaviour)
  • use of inference means cognitive psychology can occasionally be too abstract