cognitive theory

• what does the cognitive theory focus on?


  how people perceive, store, manipulate and interpret information.
• the cognitive approach sees mental processes as?


  being separate from the brain
• how do cognitive psychologists formulate conclusions of their workings?


  through making inferences based on observable behaviour
• what model do cognitive psychologists use to better understand the mind?

  the computer and theoretical models
• schemas


  a cognitive framework that helps organise and interpret information
• how can schemas be useful?

  they allow us to take mental shortcuts when interpreting information, preventing sensory overload.
• what is a disadvantage of schemas?

  • Stereotyping
  • may lead to perceptual distortions due to already established mental frameworks
• computer models 


  refer to using computer analogies as representation of the human cognition
• define cognitive neuroscience


  the scientific field concerned with the underlying neural bases of cognitive functions.
• strength of cognitive approach

  • has been applied in many other areas in psychology
  • schemas help better understand how we interpret the actions of others
  • shows how dysfunctional behaviour is linked to faulty thinking processes
  • insights lead to successful treatments using cognitive based interventions.
• strength of the cognitive approach

  • Soft determinism posits that humans can reason and consciously decide within their cognitive framework. This perspective, more adaptable than the rigid determinism of behaviorism, acknowledges our awareness of our actions. Such complexity sets us apart from animals and offers a more comprehensive insight into human behavior than behaviorism alone.