Outline ‘computer analogy’ + ‘schemas’

• Point (computer analogy)

  One assumption of the cognitive approach is the computer analogy, which compares the human mind to a computer system. It suggests that information is processed in a similar way to how a computer handles data - through input, processing, and output.
• Evidence (computer analogy)

  Atkinson and Shriffin’s (1968) multi-store model of memory supports this analogy. According to this model, information enters through the senses (input), is processed and stored in the short-term memory (processing), and then transferred to long-term memory for later retrieval (output)
• Explain: computer analogy

  this assumption highlights how cognitive psychologists study mental processes like memory, perception, and attention in a systematic way, similar to understanding how software functions in a computer
• Link: computer analogy

  The computer analogy has been useful in developing artificial intelligence and understanding cognitive disorders by modelling how disruptions in processing can affect memory and decision-making
• Point: schemas

  Another assumption of the cognitive approach is the concept of schemas, which are mental frameworks built from experience that help us interpret and organise information
• Evidence: schemas

  For example, a ‘dog schema’ might include features such as having four legs, fur, and barking. Similarly, a ‘burglar schema’ might include characteristics such as being a young male wearing a balaclava, even though this may not always be accurate
• Explain: schemas

  Schemas allow us to process large amounts of information quickly, helping us predict and understand the world. however, they can also lead to biases and stereotypes, as they may be shaped by social influences rather than direct experiences
• Link: schemas

  Understanding schemas is crucial in fields like education and eyewitness testimony, as they explain how people develop expectations and why false memories or prejudices can occur