evaluating the approach

• 1. one limitation of the cognitive approach is that it it nomothetic.
• 1. because it tends to study groups of participants in order to establish general patterns of behaviour that are common in all individuals.
• 1. Loftus and Palmers research most participants demonstrated the tendency for language to affect their estimates of speed - but not nessarily all of them (only) studied us students)
• 1. weakness because nomothetic approaches tend to ignore the differences between individuals. whilst results tells us how general population tends to behave in a given situation, does not explain why tend to behave in a certain way
• 2. limitation is that it is reductionist
• 2. it reduces behaviour to simple mechanistic explanation
• 2. computer analogy which compares humans through processes to that of a computer. psychological disorders like depression as ‘faults’ with these internal mental processes
• 2. limitation as it ignores the role played by human emotion and social interaction on human behaviour
• 3. strength of the cognitive approach is it has because it has been successfully applied in the real world to benefit human life.
• 3. This has been seen in the success of cognitive therapies in the treatment of mental health problem, such as CBT
• 3. For example, David and Avellino (2003) reported that CBT has the highest overall success rate of all therapies
• 3. strength of the approach because their principles are seen as useful which is the reason why psychologists ultimately conduct research in order to improve the world we live in
• 4. strength of the cognitive approach is that it considers the role of free will
• 4. It is deemed to be a free-will approach because it states that how an individual behaves is based on how they process internal or external changes.
• 4. For example, CBT aims to empower patients by demonstrating that they have the ability to change their faulty thinking patterns
• 4. This is strength as it means that people can consciously choose how to behave, allowing them to take responsibility for their behaviours and recovery from psychological disorders