The cognitive Approach

• When was the cognitive approach established?

  1960s
• what is the cognitive approach interested in?

  how behaviour is affected by internal mental processes.
• What are the assumptions of the cognitive approach?

  - it is important to study the events within a person to understand behaviour

  - Internal mental processes can be studied in an objective way and insight into mental processes may be inferred from behaviour.

  - Models can be used to illustrate and explain internal mental processes.
• What is the role of inference in the cognitive approach?

  inference means drawing conclusions based on evidence and involves assumptions - an educated guess about what is happening, this is because mental processes can not be directly observed.
• What is the computer analogy model?

  That humans are information processors - inputting, processing, storing and retrieving. These functions work together to help us make sense of the world.
• What are theoretical models?

  Simplified representations based on current research.
• What are the problems with models?Th

  They may be oversimplified and reduce human experience as they don't include emotions or feelings that all humans have.
• What is the radiologists selective attention research?

  Done in 2013 Harvard University. Radiologist (trained to looked for nodules) were asked if they saw the matchbox sized gorilla. 80% said no. 50% of these looked right at if for half a second, shown by eye monitoring equipment.
• What is the explanation for selective attention?

  We can see and hear many things in our environment. We have to make a choice about what to focus on/ pay attention to as we have a limited capacity. We only remember something if we have payed attention to it.
• What is a schema? (Jean Piaget)


  An organised package of information that stores our knowledge about the world, developed from experience and influence cognitive . We have many schemas for each aspect of our lives. Our long term memories are all saved as schemas.
• What do schemas allow us to do?

  make sense of what we encounter. Predict what is going to happen. Behave appropriately.
• What happens if we lack a schema for something?

  We may find it difficult to make sense of information, this will make it more difficult to remember. If incoming information doesn't fit into any of our existing schemas, we may need to create a new one.
• Why can schemas lead to inaccuracy?

  When we used schemas, we use stereotypes and expectations. This is unconscious and can make memory better, but many also make it more inaccurate because memory is distorted, we may add information or make assumptions.
• Why is memory a reconstructive process?

  It is not like a video tape. We automatically, unconsciously fill gaps in our memory using stereotypes and expectations from our mental schemas. This produced distorted memories. We accept these as accurate and real. This is an ongoing process. Overtime, memories can change - whenever we recall them, they can be reconstructed and then they are saved again.
• What are some advantages of the cognitive approach?

  It is scientific and based on carefully controlled and replicable research. Use of theoretical models helps us to understand unobservable mental processes.Therapies are based on the findings of the approach.It has been successfully integrated into other approaches.
• What are some weaknesses of the cognitive approach?

  The metaphor of 'man as machine' in computer analogies ignores emotional, motivational and social factors in human behaviour.It still requires interference as we cannot know for sure as we can't observe the processes.The emphasis on laboratory experiments means that the findings may not reflect everyday life.