AO3

• fMRI and PET scans allow researchers to study the brain in real time, providing direct evidence of brain-behaviour relationships
• Weakness of cognitive neuroscience

  • simplifies human behaviour too much
  • ignores emotions and motivations
  • e.g. memory can be affected by emotional factors (anxiety on EWT)
• Weakness of cognitive neuroscience

  • approach is based on machine reductionism
  • complex human cognitive process is being compared to workings of a machine
• strengths of cognitive approach

  • use of objective scientific methods
  • practical application
• how is the use objective, scientific methods a strength?

  • highly controlled and rigorous methods of study allow researchers to infer cognitive processes at work
  • involves the use of lab studies to produce reliable, objective data
  • emergence of cognitive neuroscience has enabled the two fields of biology and cognitive psychology to come together to enhance the scientific basis of study
  • study of the mind has a credible scientific basis
• one limitation of cognitive psychology is it relies on the inference of mental processes, rather than direct observation of behaviour, so it can occasionally suffer from being too abstract and theoretical in nature
• Another limitation of cognitive approach research of mental processes are that they are often carried out using artificial stimuli (such as tests of memory involving word lists) that may not represent everyday experience. Therefore may lack external validity.
• how does the cognitive approach show practical application?

  • contribution in AI and 'thinking machines' (robots), future advances
  • treatment of depression - CBT e.g. Beck's negative triad (faulty schemas)
  • improving reliability of EWT e.g. loftus car crash study 'smashed' vs 'contacted'
• one strength of the cognitive approach is it is founded on soft determinism, offering a balanced view
• Why is the cognitive approach’s foundation on soft determinism a strength?

  • acknowledges both internal and external influences (e.g. schemas and past experiences) on behaviour and the role of free will, making it more realistic and applicable
  • fits well with practical applications like CBT, which relies on individuals being able to consciously change their thought patterns