Cognitive Approach

• Assumptions of cognitive approach:

  • Thought process should be studied scientifically
  • Stimulus- response is accurate but there is a thought process between stimulus and response
  • The human mind is like a computer ('computer analogy')- encodes/ stores/ retrieves
• Emergence of cognitive neuroscience:

  • Study of the brain structure on mental processes
  • Brain scanning techniques are closely worked with study of cognitive process
  • Investigates how damage to certain parts of the brain impact on cognitive functioning
• S- Scientific Methods:

  Cognitive psychologists employ highly controlled and rigorous methods of study so researchers are able to infer cognitive processes at work. Involved using lab studies, producing reliable and objective data. Emergence of cognitive neuroscience enabled biology and cognitive psychology to enhance scientific basis of study. Study of the mind has a credible scientific basis.
• W- Inferences

  Cognitive psychology relies on inference of mental processes rather than direct observation. Ideas may be too abstract and theoretical in nature. Research studies of mental processes are often carried out using artificial stimuli- do not represent everyday life. Lacking external validity.
• S- Real-world application

  Dominant approach in psychology, applied to practical and theoretical contexts. e.g. cognitive psychology contributes to artificial intelligence and robots. Cognitive principles applied to depression treatments and improving EWT reliability. Supports value of cognitive psychology.
• W- Machine reductionism

  There are similarities between the human mind and operations of a 'thinking machine' like computers. Computer analogy is criticised- ignoring the influence of human emotion and motivation on the cognitive system and how this affects out ability to process information. Machine reductionism weakens the validity of the cognitive approach
• Contributions of the cognitive approach:

  • Emergence of cognitive sciences as a unified programme for studying the mind
  • Understanding the cause of many psychological problems like phobias and depression
  • CBT's effectiveness
  • Important to AI and robots
• Roles of schemas:

  Schemas- 'packages' of ideas and information developed through experience, acting as mental frameworks for interpreting information

  • Babies are born with simple motor schemas for innate behaviours e.g. sucking and grasping
  • Schemas become more detailed as we develop mental representations for everything
  • Schemas allow for quick processing of information, preventing us from being overwhelmed by stimuli; schemas also distort out interpretations of sensory information leading to perceptual errors
• Theoretical and computer models are used to understand internal mental processes= theoretical (abstract), computer (concrete)
• Theoretical models:

  • Information processing approach- information flows through cognitive system in a sequence (input, storage, retrieval; MSM)
  • This approach is based on computer function like programming to see if instructions would produce similar output to humans; if they do, similar process occur in the human mind

  Computer models:

  • Used in understanding development of 'thinking machines' or artificial intelligence (AI)