the cognitive approach

• background

  focuses on how people perceive, store, manipulate and interpret info

  looks at internal mental processes like perception, memory, thinking and problem solving

  cognitive psychologists think its necessary to look at internal mental processes to understand behaviour
• the study of internal mental processing

  information processing - concept first used to describe how computers process information

  how info received through the scenes is processes by different systems within the brain
• in order to profess information we must :

  extract/select important info (attention)

  store it in memory

  retrieve it when needed
• studying internal mental processes 


  cant be studied directly , must infer whats going on by measuring observable behaviour

  psychologists can then develop theories about the mental processes that led to the observed behaviour
• 3 sections in cognitive psychology

  1.the role of schemas

  2.the role of theoretical and computer models

  3.the emergence of cognitive neuroscience
• what are schemas


  schemas are a cognitive framework which help us organise info in the brain, a package of knowledge built up from previous experience
• why do we have schemas

  they are useful, help take shortcuts when interpretating the big amount of info we have to deal with

  help us fill om gaps in the absence of full info so they help us yo remember and understand things - improve memory
• disadvantages to schemas

  causes stereotyping

  cause us to exclude anything that doesn't conform and instead we focus on info that confirms pre-existing beliefs and ideas
• the role of theoretical models

  examples =multistore model and working memory model - simplified versions of memory

  often represented with diagrams

  often incomplete and are frequently changed and refined
• why use computer mode;s 


  computer based terminology

  info is inputted through senses and encoded into our memory. then combined with previously stored info to complete a task and info can be retrieved when needed
• example of computer models 


  info stored on a computer hard disk (LTM)

  RAM corresponds to working memory as working memory is seen as temporary workspace (RAM)
• emergence of cognitive neuroscience 


  with advances we can now study the living brain

  enabling us to understand info about brain structures involved in different types of brain processing
• what emergence of cognitive neuroscience

  to see which parts of brain are active during certain activities , we can use fMRI or PET

  PET - measuring glucose uptake by brain cells , more glucose more active (41 murders example
• evaluation - strength

  has been applied in many areas in psychology (why we may stereotype and make judgements) and mental ilnesses = positive applications
• evaluation - strength

  use of experimental methods - emphasis on scientific method = can form accurate conclusions about how the mind works
• evaluation - weakness

  terms borrowed from the field of computing - computers don't make mistakes, forget things and have emotions but humans do = cant generalise
• evaluation - weakness

  ignores the rile of emotions... - oversimplifies behaviour = reductionist