Cognitive Approach

• What is the cognitive approach?

  A scientific study of mental processes
• How do cognitive psychologists study mental processes?

  Indirectly through inferences
• What is a schema?

  Packages of information developed through experience
• What does your schema act as?

  • A mental framework for interpretation of incoming information
  • They have ”mental shortcuts” to prevent us from being overwhelmed by information
• What model is used to explain mental processes?

  • Theoretical model
  • Computer model
• What is the theoretical model?

  Suggests that the mind processes information in a systematic way
• What is a computer model?

  • Refers to programmes that can be run on a computer to imitate the human mind
  • Used to explain mental processes
• What is cognitive neuroscience?

  Scientific study of the influence of brain structures on mental process
• What techniques are used to study the brain?

  PET and FMRI scans
• Strength of the Cognitive Approach:?

  • Uses objective scientific methods
  • Cognitive psychologists employ highly controlled and rigorous methods of study so researchers are able to infer cognitive processes at work - Involved the use of lab experiments to produce reliable and objective data.
• Strength of the Cognitive Approach:?

  • Emergence of Cognitive Neuroscience
  • With the emergence of cognitive neuroscience it has enabled the two fields of biology and cognitive psychology to come together to enhance the scientific basis of study.
  • This means that the study of the mind has a credible scientific basis.
• Limitation of the Cognitive Approach:

  • Relies on inferences
  • As cognitive psychology relies on the inference of mental processes, rather than the direct observation of behaviour, it can occasionally suffer from being too abstract and theoretical in nature.
• Limitation of the Cognitive Approach:

  • Lack of realism in studies
  • Research studies on mental processes are often carried out using artificial stimuli that may not represent everyday experience - lacks external validity.
• Strength of the Cognitive Approach:?

  • Real World Application
  • The cognitive approach is probably the dominant approach in psychology today and has been applied to a wide range of practical and theoretical contexts.
  • For example, cognitive psychology has made an important contribution in the field of AI.
• Limitation of the Cognitive Approach:

  • Machine Reductionism
  • Criticism of the computer analogy - such machine reductionism ignores the influence of human emotion and motivation on the cognitive system, and how this may affect our ability to process information.
  • Humans are affected by emotions, computers aren't