AO3 - Evaluation

• What is one benefit of schemas in cognitive processing?

  They enable us to process lots of information quickly, acting as mental shortcuts
• What is a potential downside of schemas?

  They can distort our interpretations of sensory information, leading to perceptual errors
• What is a strength of the cognitive approach related to real-life applications?


  Its application to real life situations through cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). beck's theory of depression suggests that depression is caused by faulty information processing and negative schema, which has led to creation of CBT. CBT hsuccessfullyas been used to treat depression to improve peoples lives by identifying patients maladaptive thought processes and teaching them alternative processes to reduce symptoms
• How does Beck’s cognitive theory explain depression?

  It suggests that depression is caused by faulty information processes and negative schemas
• What therapeutic approach has been developed from Beck's cognitive theory?

  Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)
• Why is CBT considered effective in treating mental disorders?

  It identifies maladaptive thought processes and provides alternative processes to reduce symptoms
• Why is the nature-nurture debate a strength?

  Cognitive approach takes an interactionist stance on nature-nurture debate. The approach argues indviduals develop schemas based on their interactions with the world but also uses neuroscience to examine what parts of the brain are involved in different mental processes. It considers the role of nurture, looks at the environments influences on our cognition through schema and role of nature in terms of structure of the brain. by considering both roles it gives a more complete understanding of human behaviour
• What is the role of neuroscience in the cognitive approach?

  It examines what parts of the brain are involved in different mental processes
• How does the cognitive approach contribute to a more complete understanding of human behavior?

  By considering both nature and nurture in its explanations
• What assumption does the cognitive approach make about the human brain?


  It assumes that the human brain is like a computer
• Why is the comparison of the human brain to a computer considered flawed?

  Humans experience emotions, which computers do not
• What does it mean for the cognitive approach to be reductionist?

  It tries to explain the human brain via computer processes and theoretical models
• What is a weakness of the cognitive approach regarding mundane realism?

  It lacks relevance to participants' everyday life
• How do experiments in cognitive psychology demonstrate low ecological validity?

  They often use artificial test materials that are meaningless in everyday life
• What is the definition of mundane realism?Why is it a weakness?

  The extent to which experimental findings can be generalized to the real world. many studies of the cognitive approach tend to use tasks that have little in common with participants everyday life. for example experiments in memory use artificial test materials that are meaningless in everyday life. much of the research in cognitive psychology have low ecological validity, as it fails to refelct real-life behaviour
• What is interactionism in the context of psychology?


  The combined impact of both nature and nurture on behavior
• What is machine reductionism in the cognitive approach? Why is it a weakness ?Explaining the brain as a computer. The cognitive approach assumes that the human brain is like a computer and therefore can be explained in the same way. Humans are different from computers. Humans experience emotions computers do not. the cognitive approach reductionist as it aims to explain behaviour through computer processes and theoretical model which is a limitation