Cognitive Approach

• Cognitive Approach


  The study of internal mental processes
• Assumption


  - Behavior is controlled by internal mental processes

  - Internal Mental Process should be studied scientifically

  - They are studied indirectly and inferences are made

  - Studied in labs

  - evolved into cognitive neuroscience
• Internal Mental Process


  Internal 'private' workings of the mind
• Schema


  Expectations and beliefs a person has that are developed from experience

  
  

  eg our schema for a chair is that it is something with legs that you sit on

  
  

  Schema allows us to process information quickly without being overwhelmed.

  
• Inference


  Behaviour is observed and an inference is made of internal mental processes.
• Theoretical Model


  Theoretical model is used to help cognitive psychologists understand internal mental processes.

  
  

  It does this using the information processing model which is input, storage and retrieval.

  This approach is based on the way a computer functions.

  
  

  It is abstract.
• Computer Model


  Computer models are used to study internal mental processes.

  
  

  It involves programming a computer to see if it can carry out similar functions to humans. If they can then it suggests similar processes are happening in the human mind. These are things such as thinking machines or artificial intelligence.

  
  

  A successful example is Sophia which is a humanoid robot.
• Cognitive Neuroscience


  The scientific study on the brain structures influence on behaviour.

  
  

  It mapped brain areas to specific cognitive functions.

  
  

  In the 1860s, Paul Broca identified that damage to an area of the frontal lobe could permanently impair speech.
• Strength - Highly Controlled


  Experiments are completed in a highly controlled artificial environment and all outcomes are considered to produce reliable data. This means the study of the mind has a credible basis.
• Strength - Real World Application


  It can be applied to a wide range of practical and theoretical contexts such as AI and 'thinking machines' like Alexa. These can revolutionise our futures.

  
  

  It has also been applied in court to test the credibility of eyewitness statements.
• Weakness - Relies on Inference


  Since it is focused on an inference of mental processes rather than being directly observed, studies are sometimes too abstract.

  
  

  Also research is often carried out using artificial stimuli which may not represent every day experiences.

  
  

  Therefore it may lack external validity.
• Weakness - Machine Reductionism


  Some computer models ignore the influence of human emotion on cognitive systems, such as the effect of anxiety on an eyewitness statement in court.

  
  

  This suggests machine reductionism makes the cognitive approach less credible.
• Faulty Processing


  This is where you process information incorrectly.

  
  

  For example when someone is laughing and you think they're laughing at you