Cognitive AO3

• +Real life application– developed treatments, e.g Beck and CBT. CBT is effective (March, depression), so the approach helps people.
• +Cognitive approach uses scientific methods. Controlled methods such as lab experiments, e.g. Loftus and Palmer investigate EWT. This established a credible, scientific basis.

  +- But relies on inference so not fully

  scientific.

  +- Research lacks external validity – artificial stimuli e.g. remembering trigrams.
• +Cognitive approach based on machine

  reductionism. Similarities to computing are inputs/outputs. But emotion and anxiety shown to affect memory.
• -Less determinist than other approaches. Soft determinism. Says we have free will to change thoughts, constrained by how the mind works.