Cognitive

• What is cognitive psychology


  -The scientific study of the mind and internal mental processes including learning memory attention decision making and perception.

  -the modern study of cognition proposes that the brain can be understood as a complex computer system

  -these internal processes are private and cannot be observed so cognitive psychologists study them indirectly by making inferences
• define inferences


  -process whereby cognitive psychs draw conclusions about the way mental process operate on the basis of observed behaviour
• What are the basic assumptions of the cognitive approach


  -thought processes can and should be studied scientifically/feels that introspection is not scientific

  -the mind works like a computer: the input comes from senses which is then processed to produce the output such as language and specific behaviours

  -stimulus and responses are appropriate but only if the thought processes that occur between stimulus and response are acknowledged
• How are computer models used to represent particular features of the mind


  -brain is described as a processor it has data input and then outputs it

  -some parts of the brain form networks

  -some parts can work sequentially meaning one process must finish before another starts. this occurs in more demanding or unknown tasks

  -these parts can work in parallel and this is more likely to happen in tasks which are familiar
• Outline schemas


  -help to organise and interpret information and experiences

  -it is a mental structure containing all the info we have on one aspect of the world shaped by past experiences
• What is a problem with schemas


  -schemas can stop us learning new info that does not conform to any preconceived notions we may have

  -a schema which holds expectations or beliefs about a certain subgroup of people may bias the way we process incoming info.

  -this means we are more likely to pay attention to information we can easily assimilate and ignore info that would involve changing our schemas to accomodate.
• Outline theoretical models


  -used because it simplifies complex processes.

  -turns abstract process into concrete form and provides a framework for research

  -these models are often pictorial with boxes and arrows and are updated and changed often e.g. multistore model of memory and the working memory model
• With modern brains and imaging techniques...

  -cognitive neuroscience started to emerge

  -cn is an approach in psychology that maps human behaviour to brain function.

  -brain imaging techniques allow psychologists to discover when and where things happen in the brain in relation to peoples behaviour at the time
• Cognitive neuroscientists use a variety of methods to study cognition such as:


  -lesion studies: looking at people with brain damage to see how behaviour is affected

  -electrophysiology: using electric and magnetic fields to measure brain activity and brain waves

  -neuroimaging: pinpointing areas of the brain which are active when a task is performed .e.g PET scans
• What is a strength(lab studies and AI)

  -CA is scientific and the use of lab studies is objective systematic and replicable

  -this means researchers are able to draw conclusions about how the mind works. Cognitive psychology has made important contributions to the field of AI and the development of thinking robots

  -therefore the cognitive approach has made a positive contribution in the field of psych and had a positive impact on the lives of many.
• What is another strength of the cognitive approach?(scanning)

  -Has allowed us to collect evidence using fMRI and PET scanning which help us to understand the underlying neural basis of cognitive functions.

  -this has led to quicker diagnosis of issues and more effective treatments

  -therefore the cog approach has made a positive contribution to our understanding of human behaviour
• what is another strength(understanding psych disorders and CBT)

  -made substantial improvements to our understanding of psychological disorders caused by distorted thoughts

  -this has led to the use of CBT

  -CBT has been found to be 52% effective when treating depression

  -therefore the CA has had a postive impact on mental health treatment
• What is positive of the CA(machine reductionism)


  -theoretical models have helped clarify our understanding of human cognition and have progressively improved over time.

  -However many of the models may be oversimplification of complex processes and therefore could lack validity.

  -Although the CA may tell us how the different cognitive process take place they do not tell us why

  -the role of motivation and emotion are ignored. These factors may be irrelevant to a computer but not to human.

  -this is known as machine reductionism
• What is another weakness of the ca (computers make no mistakes)


  -a limitation of the computer model is that computers do not make mistakes nor do they ignore available info or forget things

  -on the other hand humans do all of these things

  -however Newell and Simon (1972) stated that whilst computers are better at remembering they are inferior at planning future moves.

  -this in turn led to an improvement in computer models of problem solving behaviour