cognitive approach

• key assumptions:

  • mental processes lie between stimulus and response
  • humans are info processors
  • mind operates in the same way a computer does
  • processes will be inferred suggested as we cannot see inside the mind
• theoretical and computer models:

  • cognitive psychologists use both theoretical and computer models to help the understand internal mental processes
  • in reality there are overlaps but theoretical = concrete and computer = abstract things
• theoretical models:

  • develop theoretical models of how people process information
  • the information processing model which suggests information flows through cognitive system through a sequence of stage that include input ,storage and retrieval
• computer models: refer to programmes that can be run on a computer to imitate the human mind

  • by running such programmes psychologists can test whether their ideas about information processing are correct
• schema: a mental framework of beliefs and expectations that influence cognitive processing, we have schemas about setting eh classroom and roles of police officer
• emergence of cognitive neuroscience:

  • is the scientific study of the influences of brain structures on mental processes
  • advancement of brain scanning technologies, scientists have been able to describe the neurological basis of mental processing
  • eg Tulving et al found that episodic and semantic memory may be located on opposite sides of prefrontal cortex
• a strength of the cognitive approach is that it has many applications to a variety of situations

  • the cognitive approach has lead to therapies like cognitive behavioural therapy improved the reliability of EWT, it has also contributed importantly to the field of artificial intelligence such as in brain finger printing
  • strength = the theories explaining how mental illness as being caused by dysfunctional thinking has been led to effective therapies to successfully treat a whole range of disorders including depression
  • seen to have many useful applications in society it supports its value
• another strength of the cognitive approach is that it can be considered a scientific approach:

  • eg approach often relies on actual research evidence from experimentation with PPTS and uses highly controlled and rigorous processes
  • moreover the emergence of the cognitive neuroscience has enabled 2 scientific fields of biology and cognitive psychology to come together and enhance scientific nature
• however a limitation is that it depends on interference

  • cognitive psychology relies on interference of mental processes rather than direct observation so it can be accused of being to abstract at times, simply relying on things may suggest
  • moreover the approach also often uses artificial stimuli may not present everyday use of cognitive processes
  • research into cognitive processes may not be representative of real life situations
• one major limitation of the cognitive approach is that it is based on machine reductionism

  • eg: approach uses codes such encoding, processing and storage for the mind basing the human mind on computer and theoretical models
  • however there are important differences between the human mind and computers which the cognitive approach ignores, humans process motivation and emotion whereas information processing machines do not
  • machine reductionism may weaken the validity of the approach