Cognitive

• Whilst schemas have many upsides, they can also distort our interpretations leading to perceptual errors.
• Computer models make use of computer simulations to depict mental processes.
• Schemas are cognitive frameworks built from experience that organise and interpret information from our environment, so we can respond quickly.
• The strengths of the cognitive approach include scientific and objective methods, use of lab experiments which can be repeated, use of scans such as MRIs to study the mind in an objective way, and the emergence of cognitive neuroscience which enabled biology and cognitive psychology to come together, making it even more scientific.
• The weaknesses of the cognitive approach include machine reductionism, which ignores the influence of human emotions and motivations on the cognitive system, and its application to everyday life, where cognitive psychologists can only explain mental processes from the behaviour they observe, which can make the approach abstract and too theory based.
• In 1860, Paul Broca identified damage to the frontal lobe could permanently impair speech production due to patient “Tan”.
• One weakness of cognitive neuroscience is that technology such as MRI scans are not 100% reliable due to user-error in calibration, temperature and noise interference.
• Cognitive neuroscience is the scientific study of the influence of brain structure on mental processes.
• Cognitive neuroscience uses objective, scientific methods like MRI scans which increase reliability.
• As we get older our schemas become more detailed and sophisticated.
• Inference: conclusions cognitive psychologists draw about mental processes based on observed behaviour.
• Theoretical models and computer models are used to study internal processes.
• Cognitive psychology is the study of mental processes, including perception, memory, thinking, language, attention, and their effect on behaviour.
• An assumption of the cognitive approach is that internal mental processes can and should be studied.
• An assumption of the cognitive approach is that mental processes are private and can’t be observed, so should be studied indirectly by making inferences about mental processes from behaviour.
• An assumption of the cognitive approach is that the workings of a computer and the human mind are alike – they encode and store information, and they have outputs.
• Ways that cognitive psychologist study include: 

  • Case studies of brain injury 
  • Lab experiments
  • Brain mapping (MRI Scans) 
  • Testing theoretical and computer models 
• Computer Models

  We compute information like a computer:

  1. taking in information (input)
  2. changing it/storing it (process)
  3. then recalling it when needed (output)
• An example of an information processing model is the multi-store model of memory.
• Information processing approach

  Information flows through the cognitive system in a sequence of stages that include an input, storage, retrieval of information. 
• Bugelski & Alampay (1962) conducted an experiment called rat-man.

  • Two groups of participants were shown a sequence of pictures either a number of different faces or a number of different animals.
  • They were then shown an ambiguous figure the rat-man.
  • Participants who saw a sequence of faces were more likely to perceive the figure as man, whereas participants who saw a sequence of animals were more likely to perceive the figure as a rat.
• Advances in brain imaging allow scientists to systematically observe and establish a neurological basis for mental disorders e. g. the link between OCD and the parahippocampal gyrus, which plays a role in processing unpleasant memories.
• Cognitive psychologists measure behaviour and then make inferences about how mental processes work.

  These inferences allow us to support or reject theoretical models. Inference is also used to adjust theoretical models.
• theoretical models in cognitive psychology presents an idea about how a mental process works.