Cognitive approach A level psychology aqa

• 3 assumptions of the cognitive approach

  • Focuses on memory,perception and thinking which these areas are neglected by behaviourists.
  • focused on internal mental processes and argue that they should be studied scientifically
  • internal mental processes are private and cannot be observed directly so in lab studies we do things to infer how the mind works.
  • also uses theoretical models to study imp e.g info processing approach, info flows through cog system in sequences of stages
• schemas 


  Cognitive processes are often affected by a persons belief or expectations which is now as schemas These are packages of ideas that are developed through experience and are subjected to ourselves.
• what do schemas fill?

  Gaps in knowledge when information is lacking based on our past experiences.

  they also eliminate anything that doesn’t match with pre existing experiences
• uses experimental and rigourous methods of study

  Allows researchers to collect and evaluate evidence of cognitive processes which is a major strength of the approach. Involves the use of lab experiments which produces reliable and objective data. Conclusions drawn from these are much more than methods such as introspection can offer as repeat studies shows reliability through finding similiar results
• A limitation of cognitive approach is that despite the similiarites of human mind and computer it is criticsed as heavily machine reductionist


  It neglects free will and we are more likely to make mistakes when processing info. E.g forgetting or recalling incorrect info. Basing cognitive processes on computer models lacks validity as it isn’t accurate enough
• strength of cognitive app has many practical applications


  Many other areas of psychology use this research for example psychopathology has used the cognitive approach to explain how dysfunctional behaviour by people can be traced back to faulty info processing. This info has then been led to successful treatments for disorders such as cbt for depression