Cognitive area

• Defining principles and concepts - Focus on the mind - Takes an information processing approach.

  Input -> Stored -> Output (mind as a computer)

  Assumes responses to stimuli reveal how the mind is processing information.
• Main research methods - Lab experiment and self report
• Justification for these methods - Need a high level of control to show casue and effect (lab experiment). As we can't observe what we are focusin on (self report).
• Key research - Loftus and Palmer Grant (memory), Moray Simons and Chabris (attention)
• Strength one - Highly scientific as it uses controlled settings to show cause and effect in how the mind processes information.
• Strength two - Highly useful as it has lef to the development of many applications used in real life.
• Weakness one - Has low levels of ecological validity as lab conditions do not reflect real life.
• Weakness two - It is reductionist as it ignores other causes of behaviour other than mental processes.
• Application - Around 75% of all miscarriages of justice (innocent and in prison) are caused by faulty eye witness testimony. Research by psychologists such as Elizabeth Loftus demonstrated that memory is not like a camera but can be changed through leading questions such as a verbal label of car speed. This has led to rules on eyes witnesses to prevent bias such as computerised lineups, experts in courts to explain how memory works and training to prevent leading questions in police interviews and statements.
• Parametric statistics - Are based on assumptions about the distribution of population from which the sample was taken.
• Nonparametric statistics - Are not based on assumptions, that is, the data can be collected from a sample that does not follow a specific distribution.