A01 and A03

• A01- assumptions

  • In contrast to behaviourist approach, this believes internal mental processes should be studied scientifically. Cognitive approach studies the areas of behaviour that were neglected by behaviourists like memory, perception and thinking.
  • The processes are private and cant be observed, so are studied indirectly by making inferences about what is going on in minds on the basis of behaviour.
• A01- theoretical and computer models.

  • Use theoretical and computer models to help them understand internal mental processes.
  • Information processing approach- information flows through the cognitive system in a sequence of stages that include input, storage and retrieval- as in the multi store model. It is based on the way computers function but a computer model would involve programming a computer to see if such instructions produce a similar output to humans.
  • If they do we can suggest similar processes are going on in the human mind.
  • Proved useful in AI.
• A03- scientific and objective methods.

  
  

  • P- Employs highly controlled and rigorous methods of study in order to enable researchers to infer cognitive processes at work.
  • E- Use of lab experiments to produce reliable, objective data. Emergence of cognitive neuroscience- enabled two fields of biology and cognitive psychology to come together.
  • E- Meaning the study of the mind has established a credible scientific basis.
  • L- internal validity- valid explanation for human behaviour
• A03- machine reductionism.

  
  

  • P- reductionist
  • E- Machine reductionism ignores influence of human emotion and motivation on cognitive system and how this might affect our ability to process information.
  • E- Although there are similarities between the human mind and operations of a computer, the computer analogy- criticised
  • L- Doesn't consider whole person- not valid explanation for human behaviour
• A03- Limitation- application to everyday life (generalisability)

  • P- not generalisable and unscientific
  • E- Cognitive psychologists are only able to infer mental processes from the behaviour they observe in their research.
  • E- experimental studies of mental processes are carried- artificial stimuli- may not represent every day memory experiences e.g. tests of memory involving world lists.
  • L- Suffers- too abstract and theoretical in nature- research on cognitive processes lack external validity.
• A01- schemas

  • Cognitive processing- affected by persons beliefs- schema
  • Schema- package of ideas and info developed through experience- act as mental framework for interpretation of incoming info received by cognitive system
  • e.g. schema for chair- something with legs you sit on
  • Babies- born with motor schema for innate behaviours- sucking, grasping
  • Older- schema more detailed, sophisticated- what happens in a restaurant
  • Enable us to process info quickly- mental short cut- avoid being overwhelmed by environmental stimuli
  • Schema- distort perception of sensory info- perceptual error
• A03- strength- real life application

  • P- real life application
  • E- Applied to wide range of theoretical contexts. AI- Computational models of human thought - paved way for 'thinking machines'- revolutionised economics and medicine. Machines- IBM's Watson- understand and respond to human language- operate as 'super brain'
  • E- revolutionise how we live in future
  • L- Cognitive approach- valid explanation for human behaviour