psychology: cognitive approach

• what is the definitions of inferences?


  observing behaviour and using logic to draw a conclusion about what mental processes caused that behaviour
• what are the 5 internal mental processes?


  language, attention, thinking, memory and perception
• what are theoretical models?


  abstract representation of how information processing works
• why have theoretical models been created?


  have been developed to explain mental processes
• what are computer models?

  software stimulations of internal mental processes
• why have computer models been created?

  have been developed to explain mental processes
• what is a schema?

  a category of knowledge as well as the process of acquiring knowledge
• schema

  what are the 6 types of schemas?


  -person schemas

  -object schemas

  -social schemas

  -event schemas

  -self schemas

  -role schemas
• schemas

  why are schemas useful?

  it provides mental shortcuts for us to process information in brand new situations without being in the situation
• schemas

  why are schemas not useful?

  it can create inaccurate stereotypes or add in false memories that never really happened
• what is the definition of cognitive neuroscience?


  study of the biological basis of thought processes
• cognitive neuroscience

  what happened in research 1?


  tulving et al used PET scans on individuals whilst recalling information using different types of long term memory and showed which parts of the brain were used
• cognitive neuroscience

  what were the findings of research 1?

  -frontal lobe: episodic memory (events)

  -temporal lobe: semantic memory (facts)

  -cerebellum: procedural memory (skills)
• cognitive neuroscience

  what happened in research 2?


  mcmquire et al at UCL used neuro imagining techniques with london taxi drivers
• cognitive neuroscience

  what were the findings of research 2?


  the posterior hippocampus grew
• what are the 3 assumptions of the cognitive approach?


  -we should focus on internal mental process such as memory

  -behaviour can be studies indirectly by observing behaviour and making inferences about what's happening in the mind

  -mind is similar to a computer in terms of having input, processing and output