Cognitive Approach

• The cognitive approach focuses on internal mental processes such as perception, memory, attention and consciousness.
• Processes in the cognitive approach are internal and cannot be studied directly, their operation must be inferred from the observation and measurement of visible human behaviour
• To assist inference in the cognitive approach cognitive psychologists use theoretic and computer models.
• Theoretic models - enable the visual representation of complex conceptual processes
• Computer models - provide a basis for research within the cognitive field of psychology
• The study of internal mental processes - operations that occur during thinking:

  perception

  memory

  language

  problem solving

  inferences
• The cognitive approach assumes that cognitive processes work together to help us understand and respond to our environment.

  Abnormality ( depression , OCD , anxiety ) is caused by faulty mental processes
• Cognitive approach theoretical models - visual representations of internal mental processes used to help researchers simplify complex processes.

  They are usually diagrams or flow charts
• Cognitive approach computer models - the development of the computer in the 1960 s lead to computer models emerging within psychology to explain mental processes.

  For example comparing memory to a computer's RAM
• Cognitive neuroscience is a new field bridging the gap between the cognitive and biological approaches. This has resulted from the development of scanning the brain while it is actively processing information. Cognitive neuroscience uses brain scans to understand which parts of the brain are active while specific internal mental processes are being used.
• Cognitive approach AO3. There is support for the cognitive approach. Advances in technology such as fMRI has proved empirical confirmation of brain activity for specific cognitive functions. However, it can be argued that this evidence is only correlational, and it may not be scientific validation of theories or models.
• Cognitive approach AO3. The cognitive approach has been criticised because there is no direct access to internal mental processes so they cannot be observed directly. Therefore, all research into these processes must rely on indirect measures. For example, asking participants about their thoughts when completing tasks. These methods have been criticised for being unreliable due to demand characteristics and social desirability bias.
• Cognitive approach AO3. The cognitive approach has many real world applications. For example, cognitive research into memory and the effects of misleading information has reduced the use of eyewitness testimony in court cases and introduced the cognitive interview. This shows that the cognitive approach has been beneficial to real life.
• Cognitive approach AO3. A limitation to the cognitive approach is that not all human behaviour is explained by the cognitive approach. Research in this field has neglected other factors such as emotion and motivation. This means that the cognitive approach often ignores that we are not just cognitive creatures.