cognitive

• What does the term "cognitive" refer to?

  Mental processes involved in gaining knowledge
• What is the aim of cognitive neuroscience?

  To understand human cognition using behaviour and brain data
• What is a computer model in cognitive psychology?

  Models of cognition as computer programmes
• What does "inference" mean in the context of cognitive studies?

  Reasoned conclusions about behaviour patterns from data
• What is a schema in cognitive psychology?

  Organised knowledge stored in long term memory
• How are theoretical models expressed in cognitive psychology?

  In verbal terms
• What are the key terms related to cognitive psychology?

  • Cognitive: mental processes in knowledge acquisition
  • Cognitive neuroscience: combines behaviour and brain data
  • Computer model: cognition as computer programmes
  • Inference: conclusions from specific data patterns
  • Schema: organised knowledge in long term memory
  • Theoretical models: expressed in verbal terms
• schema 


  a cluster of related items that group together and make a concept
• strength of schemas 


  they allow us to take shortcuts when interpreting huge amounts of information
• weaknesses of schemas 


  • they cause us to exclude anything that does not conform to our own ideas about the world

  • they lead to the development of stereotypes
• steps of computer models

  • information inputted through the senses

  • information is encoded into memory

  • information is combined with previously stored information
• what does cognitive neuroscience do

  uses non-invasive brain scanning techniques to understand which parts of the brain are active while specific internal processes are used
• cognitive approach strengths 


  • advances in neuroimaging technology have lent weight to theoretical models providing empirical confirmation of brain activity for specific conflictive functions

  • recognition of the complexity of human behaviour

  • real world application
• cognitive approach weaknesses 


  • research tends to neglect other significant dimensions of behaviour such as emotion and motivation which may be linked to cognition but are not the same
• issues and debates 


  • both nature and nurture elements, behaviour is a result of biological origin

  • nomothetic and idiographic approaches since it utilises both experimental methods to generate universal laws to scalp in behaviour and draws on the findings of individual case studies such as HM and Clive Wearing
• strength - real world application

  • understanding schemas has led to cognitive behavioural therapy where therapists help clients change negative thought patterns
  • insights into how schemas affect eyewitness testimony accuracy have informed jury instructions helping prevent wrongful convictions
• weakness - highly controlled methods

  • can be artificial
  • studies involve recalling sequences like long digits or words don't mirror daily memory use
  • findings lack external validity
  • not generalisable to everyday cognitive tasks and real life memory usage
• strength - derives from soft determinism philosophy

  • suggests human behaviour may be determined by internal and external factors but we can also exert our own free will at times
  • gives cognitive psychologists real world application