Cognitive Approach

• What is the cognitive approach?

  Focuses on how our mental processes, e.g. thoughts and perceptions effect behaviour.
• What are theoretical and computer models?

  Approach uses computer models - similarities in the way information is processed. Uses concepts of a central processing unit (the brain), the concept of coding (turn information into a useable format) and stores to hold information.
• What is the central processing unit compared to?

  The brain
• What is the concept of coding compared to?

  turning information into a useable format
• What are stores compared to?

  Ability to hold information
• What is schema?

  Schemas are 'packages' of information developed through experience acting as a mental framework for interpretations of incoming information received by the cognitive systems.
• What does schema enable us to do?

  process lots of information quickly
• What is a drawback of schema?

  May distort our interpretations of sensory information leading to perceptual errors.
• What is the emergence of neuroscience?

  the scientific study of the influence of brain structures on mental processes.
• What do brain imaging techniques help scientists do (emergence of neuroscience)?

  Ability to systematically observe and describe the neurological basis of mental processes such as how different types of LTM may be located on opposite sides of the pre-frontal cortex.
• What is key study?

  The influence of schema on perception - Bulgelski
• What was Bugelski's method?

  • Controlled lab experiment, two groups were shown a sequence of pictures - animals or faces. Then they were shown the figure 'Rat-Man'
• What was Bugelski's findings?

  Participants who saw faces were more likely to perceive the image as a man and vice versa - shows influence of schema as participants had a preconceived idea of what they were going to see.
• What are the practical applications of the approach?

  Cognitive behavioural therapy - challenges aspects of depression including irrational beliefs + faulty thinking pointed out by Ellis.
• What is the research support of the approach?

  Bugelski's study on the influence of schema
• What is a limitation of the approach?

  Machine reductionist - ignores influence of emotions + its ability to process information, computers don't ignore information - memory may be affected by emotional factors.