Cognitive Approach

• Basic Assumptions of the cognitive approach


  behaviour is based on internal mental processes only

  introspection can be used to study internal mental processes as participants can be asked to verbalise their though processes
• What is bottom up processing?


  no prior information regarding stimulus, use our perception to gain a response e.g. driving a car for the first time
• What is top down processing?


  uses prior knowledge and information to generate a response e.g. driving a care after experience
• What is a schema?

  a 'package of information' which helps you to prepare for different situations and environments allowing the production of cognitive representations of people, places and situations
• How are schemas developed?


  From prior experiences, help to organise and interpret information allowing short cuts when interpreting large amounts of information, leading to prejudice and stereotypes
• Evaluate Schemas

  Adv- creates shortcuts so information can be accessed quickly

  Dis- promotes cognitive biases/prejudices or stereotypes
• Strengths of the cognitive approach


  uses scientific and objective measures, approach is controlled and rigorous, allows for replication, cognitive neuroscience techniques can be replicated and data can be verified. By merging the cognitive psychology and biology the study of mind has established a credible scientific basis

  
  

  practical applications, approach's principles applied in real life, CBT development translates well into a successful therapy
• Limitation of the cognitive approach


  Machine reductionist, explains human behaviour like a computer, human brain is much more complex and differs dramatically to a computer e.g. brain can forget, computer cant. Approach oversimplifies human cognition and ignores other important influences
• Theoretical and computer models used to explain behaviour


  Information processing in brain believed to work like a computer

  Brain acts as a 'processor', information taken from the sense 'input' hen coded by the brain 'process' to be developed into an observable behaviour 'output