Cognitive Approach

• What does the cognitive approach focus on?

  Internal mental processes
• What are internal mental processes?

  Private actions or processes of the mind that mediate between stimulus and response
• What are some examples of internal mental processes?

  • Perception
  • Memory
  • Language
  • Problem solving
• What is inference in the context of the cognitive approach?

  Drawing a conclusion about the way mental processes work (unobservable) by making assumptions based on observable behaviour
• What do computer models represent in cognitive psychology?

  Human thinking
• What is the process flow in computer models of cognitive psychology?

  1. Input
  2. Processed
  3. Storage
  4. Output
• What are schemas in cognitive psychology?

  Organized units of knowledge developed through experiences
• How do schemas help individuals process information?


  Schemas enable people to process lots of information quickly and predict outcomes
• What is a potential downside of schemas?

  Schemas can distort perception of information
• How can schemas affect eyewitness testimony (EWT)?

  Schemas can lead to inaccurate recall in EWT
• What is a negative self-schema in the context of mental health?

  A cognitive framework that negatively influences self-perception
• What is cognitive neuroscience?

  The scientific study of the influence of brain structure on mental processes
• What are the main research methods used in cognitive psychology?

  • Lab experiments
  • Case studies
  • Brain scanning