Cognitive approach

• Cognitive approach


  • How our mental process affect behaviors.
  • Internal mental processes cannot be observed directly, but we can infer what a person is thinking based on their behavior.
• Schemas are a mental framework that are developed from experiences.

  They help us interpret incoming information quickly, and it prevents us from being overwhelmed by vast amounts of information we perceive in our environment.

  ->Can lead to distortions because certain schemas are not applicable to certain environments your perceiving which can cause inaccuracies.
• Neuro science


  • Study of how brain structure influence the way we process information.
  • Done through the use of PET scans and FMRI scans.
• Evaluation

  Strength)Uses a scientific method that are controlled and replicable.

  ->Making them reliable.

  Weakness)Machine reductionism. The computer analogy has been criticized because it reduces the complexity of a brain to that of a computer.

  Strength)Schemas have practical applications.

  ->Beck says that negative schemas we hold about the self, the world and the future leads to depression.
• Wernickes area) language comprehension.

  Broca’s area) language production.