cognitive approach

• cognitive


  internal mental processes should be studied scientifically
• focuses on

  how mental processes affect behaviour

  • development of first computer gave psychologists a metaphor for describing
• inside peoples mind


  • areas such as memory and perception and thinking can be studied indirectly by making inferences
• internal mental processes 


  • humans are information processors
  • main concern of approach is how info received from our sensors is processed and how it directs how we behave

  e.g perception, memory, thinking, attention, language
• inference 


  act of drawing conclusions from evidence and reasoning

  • clues from observing behaviour to build explanations of what's going on in unobservable part of brain
• multi-store model of memory 


  flows through a set of stages that involved

  • input , storage and retrieval
• Multi-Store Model of Memory


  The model explains how information is stored and retrieved from memory, with sensory memory, short-term memory, and long-term memory as its key components
• computer models 


  • compared to a computer
  • similarities in ways that we process

  e.g. CPU = brain , info (input) a person receives behaviour is output

  brain = hardware , processes = hardware

  coding = info changed into useable format (electrical signals)
• schema

  • a mental framework of beliefs and expectations that influence cognitive processing and help us to interpret our world
  • developed from our experiences, upbringing and culture
• pros of schemas 


  • efficiently process and organise vast amount of info and respond to situations quickly
  • reduces cognitive load, allow quick-decision making by filling in gaps with past knowledge
  • provide structure to memory and learning, can form predictions and can navigate complex or familiar situations
• cons of schemas 


  • lead to cognitive biases, rely to heavily on past experiences and expectations can distort new info to fit frameworks
  • stereotyping or overlooking details that don't align with schemas
  • limits flexibility and accuracy
  • hinder ability to adapt to unique or unfamiliar situations
  • can't interpret behaviour that doesn't align with existing beliefs
• method and findings of Bartletts study 


  • 1932 pps asked to read Native American folk tale
  • and recall several times over varying intervals
  • findings showed recollections of stories became shorter and simpler over time
  • altering unfamiliar details to fit their own cultural expectations
  • concluded that memory is reconstructive, actively reshaped info based on schema
  • memory is influenced by personal biases
• emergence of cognitive neuroscience 


  • study of influence of brain structures on mental processes

  in 1860 Paul broca identified how damage to an area of the frontal lobe could permanently impair speech production
• advances in brain technology 


  e.g. fMRI and PET scanning

  • in last 25yrs scientists have been able to describe the locations and neurological basis of mental processing and of disorders
• in OCD 


  PET scans indicate high activity in orbital frontal cortex

  • a brain area associated with higher though processes and conversion of sensory info into thoughts
• research of long-term memory 


  research involving tasks that required us of episodic , semantic and procedural memory

  • researchers were able to show how these different types of LT memory may be located in different parts of the brain
• computer generated models 


  • cognitive neuroscience has expanded
  • models designed to 'read' the brain
  • one application could be to analyse the brain wave pattern of eyewitnesses to see if they're lying in court
• speech production


  Broca's area
• language comprehension 


  Wernicke's area
• body movement RHS 


  left motor Cortex
• episodic long term memory 


  hippocampus
• procedural LTM


  cerebellum
• visual processing


  occipital lobe/cortex
• emotional regulation 


  amygdala/limbic system
• cognitive neuroscience 


  the study of brains processes and structures
• evaluation: Machine reductionism

  • criticised because it composers the human mind to a computer, focusing on the information processing and neglecting the influence of emotions and individual differences
  • this may be an issue because human cognition is far more complex and flexible than a computer can represent and count for
  • therefore, this analogy limits the approaches accuracy and usefulness as it may overlook essential factors that influence real-life cognitive processes leading to an incomplete understanding
• evaluation: real-world application

  • a major strength is its application in developing CBT therapies, an effective treatment for various mental health disorders including depression and anxiety
  • this is advantageous because CBT helps individuals identify and modify dysfunctional thought patterns by applying cognitive principles
  • therefore, this approach demonstrates practical value by not only explaining cognitive processes but also offering therapeutic techniques that make a positive impact on individuals
• evaluation: use of scientific and objective methods

  • relies carefully on controlled lab research to infer mental processes
  • this is beneficial because lab studies allow researchers to isolate specific variables and establish a cause-and-effect relationship, lending credibility and rigor to cognitive theories
  • therefore, gains scientific respectability and produces findings that can be tested and replicated