The cognitive approach

• what do cognitive psychologists argue?


  Behaviour is a result of internal mental processes
• What are internal mental processed?


  How information is used (processed) in the mind, including all conscious and unconscious thoughts
• What are typical areas of research for cognitive psychologist?


  Attention, perception, memory
• what is an advantage of the cognitive approach? 


  It’s considered a scientific approach due to the use of highly controlled experiments
• what is an advantage of the cognitive approach?


  Many claims cognitive psychologists make are backed up by evidence with high internal validity
• why is the cognitive approach considered scientific?


  as many studies supporting the models of memory were conducted in a lab setting with large sample sizes and used standardised materials
• Why can studying internal mental processes be problematic? 


  As internal mental processes can’t be directly observed
• What is the result of internal mental processes not being able to be directly observed?

  Cognitive psychologists have to go beyond the research evidence and use Inferences
• What are inferences?


  Making assumptions about internal mental processes that produced the participant behaviour observed in an experiment
• What is a phone essentially described as in the text?

  A portable computer
• What are the inputs of a phone compared to human inputs?

  Camera and microphone are inputs, similar to eyes and ears
• What is the physical component of a phone that holds information?

  The CPU (central processing unit)
• How do cognitive psychologists view the brain's functions?

  They explain it through internal mental processes
• What is the basis of cognitive neuroscience?

  Understanding how cognitive processes connect to brain activity
• What are the defining characteristics of cognitive psychology?

  • Behavior results from internal mental processes
  • Research focuses on studying these processes
  • Common areas of research include attention, perception, and memory
• Why is memory emphasized in the context of cognitive psychology?

  Memory is a significant unit of study in A-level psychology
• How do cognitive psychologists ensure control in their research?

  By conducting highly controlled experiments in lab settings
• What is a limitation of studying internal mental processes?

  They cannot be directly observed
• What is an example of making inferences in cognitive psychology?

  Inferring the capacity of short-term memory based on recall performance
• What is Miller's classic research study about?

  The capacity of short-term memory
• What is a schema?

  A mental framework built from previous experiences
• How do schemas help us navigate the world?

  They allow us to process information quickly and predict outcomes
• What is a potential problem with relying on schemas?

  They can lead to inaccurate recall and biases
• How can leading questions affect eyewitness testimony?

  They can alter memory recall based on the wording used
• What is the negative triad in cognitive psychology?

  Negative schemas about self, the world, and the future
• What is the computer model in cognitive psychology?

  A comparison of the brain's processes to a computer's CPU
• What is machine reductionism?

  The argument that the human brain is more complex than a computer
• What are theoretical models in cognitive psychology?

  Flowchart representations of mental processes
• What is the multi-store model of memory?

  A theoretical model showing how information flows through memory stages
• What is cognitive neuroscience?

  The study of the relationship between cognitive and biological processes
• How do brain scanning techniques contribute to cognitive neuroscience?

  They allow observation of brain activity during cognitive tasks
• What did Tan's case reveal about brain function?

  It revealed the location of speech production in Broca's area
• What is a criticism of cognitive psychology's research methods?

  Many studies are highly artificial and not generalizable to real life
• How has cognitive psychology influenced real-life applications?

  It has led to developments in CBT and informed juries about eyewitness testimony
• What is soft determinism in cognitive psychology?

  It suggests behavior has biological and environmental causes but allows for individual control
• How does cognitive psychology empower clients in therapy?

  By giving them tools to change their negative thinking patterns