Cognitive approach

• Assumptions


  • The cogn approach suggests that internal mental processes can and should be studied.

  • They study private processes such as memory, perception and thinking.

  • They make inferences using people's behaviour to study what is going on inside people's minds as they cannot be studied directly.
• Schema


  • Schema are mental packages that live in the mind which help us to understand the world.

  • Schema develop through experience.

  • Babies are born with simple schemas for sucking and grasping. As we get older, we develop more sophisticated schemas for everything such as what to do in a restaurant, what to do in an exam hall etc.

  • Schemas let us process information quickly so that we do not become overwhelmed by new environments, so we know what to do in different situations. But they can distort information which leads to perceptual errors because we can sometimes see what we want to see. Faulty schemas sometimes have a negative impact on mental health e.g. phobias.
• Theoretical and computer models

  • Theoretical models - these models are simplified models of how the brain works. Models are often pictorial in nature such as the multi-store memory model. These are often updated and refined.

  • Computer models - these suggest how sensory information passes through the brain. Information is input, encoded into the memory and combined with previously stored information to complete a task. For example, information stored on the hard disk is like long term memory and RAM is like working memory.

  • There are overlaps between these models, but the key difference is that theoretical models are abstract whereas computer models are concrete.
• Information processing


  • This suggests that information flows through the system in stages such as input, storage and retrieval. MSM.

  • These theories are based on how computers work.

  • These theories have proved useful when developing artificial intelligence.

  
  

  Input ( comes from the environment via the senses) —> processing ( once the info is encoded, it can be processed. An example of this is schemas) —> output (the output is the behavioural response)
• Cognitive neuroscience


  • This is a branch of science that combines cognitive psychology, cognitive science and neuroscience.

  • Its main focus is to look for a biological basis to thought and behaviour.

  • In the past few years, advances in technology have meant that brain scanning techniques can be used to understand the brain and human thoughts and behaviour.

  • Cognitive neuroscience has emerged with improvements in technology such as FMRI and PET scans.

  • It was originally formed at MIT in 1956, and the term cognitive neuroscience was coined by George Miller and Micheal Gazzangia in the 1970s.
• Applications for cognitive neuroscience

  • For example, Broca's area is responsible for speaking- damage to this area, known as Broca's aphasia, can cause issues with being able to speak and formulate coherent sentences.

  • Understanding memory issues such as anterograde and retrograde amnesia - Clive Wearing suffered from both. Brain scans showed the extent of the damage to his frontal lobe.

  • Understanding where types of LTM are stored.

  • Understanding the development of neurodivergent conditions such as autism or ADHD.

  • Use of imaging techniques to study the effect of normal ageing on the brain or to observe the effects of stroke on the brain.
• A03 1


  P: One weakness is that the cognitive approach relies on interference.

  E: For example, the cognitive approach uses interference to understand human behaviour rather than direct observation. This means that it can occasionally suffer from being too abstract and theoretical in nature.

  E: This is a weakness as it involves the use of artificial stimuli therefore it does not reflect real-life situations. For example, if researchers have people memorise a list of words in a controlled setting, it might not show how they remember things in their daily lives. So does not represent every day life.

  L: As a result, cognitive approach is not an effective way of explaining human behaviour.

  
  

  P: One limitation is that the cognitive approach is based on machine reductionism.

  E: For example, there are similarities between the human mind and the operations of a thinking machine such as a computer. However, the computer analogy has been criticised. For instance, research has found that human memory may be affected by emotional factors such as the effect of anxiety on eye-witnesses.

  E: This is a limitation as it oversimplifies human behaviour and mental processes. This means that it may ignore why people are motivated to commit crimes or human emotions such as attachment.

  L: As a result, the cognitive approach is not very effective at explaining human behaviour.
• A03 2


  P: One limitation of the cognitive approach is that the tasks used in research are often artificial.

  E: For example, experiments in memory use artificial test materials that are relatively meaningless in real life such as random word lists or digits.

  E: This is a limitation as the experiments used do not reflect real life situations. Since it doesn't show how memory is used in everyday life as they are unrealistic. This impacts how we understand human behaviour as the behaviour expressed is not natural.

  L: As a result, we cannot achieve solid conclusions to these experiments.

  
  

  P: One strength of the cognitive approach is that it has practical applications.

  E: For example, cognitive psychology has made an important contribution in the field of artificial intelligence and the development of thinking machines. These are exciting advances that may revolutionise how we live in the future. Cognitive principles have also been applied to the treatment of depression.

  E: This is a strength as practical application emphasises the value of cognitive approach.This is because it allows for the development of effective therapies and interventions. Cognitive approach and neuroscience can further be useful as it can lead to strategies that can help individuals manage their mental health via therapy.

  L: As a result, the cognitive approach is effective.