AO1 - The Cognitive Approach

• Assumptions:

  • Our internal mental processes affect behaviour, e.g. thoughts, memories and perceptions and these should be studied scientifically, allowing inferences to be made
  • The mind works like a computer in the sense that we have an input from the senses, that is processed and produces an output such as specific behaviour
  • We have schemas that drive our behaviour including what we pay attention to and how we interpret events and what we remember
• The first feature of the cognitive approach is the study of internal mental processes
• IMPs:

  • Cognitive approach argues that these can be studied scientifically by investigating memory, perception and thinking. The approach believes we actively process and organise information we receive rather than respond passively to our environment (behaviourism)
  • Cognitive psychologists argue that IMPs are 'private' and cannot be observed so are studied indirectly by making inferences about what is going on inside the mind based on an individual's behaviour
• Inferences - The process where cognitive psychologists go beyond the immediate evidence to draw logical assumptions about how IMPs drive our behaviour (1) based on observed behaviour, but not directly inferred. (1) This can be from the use of experimental procedures
• The second feature of the cognitive approach is the use of computer and theoretical models
• Computer model:

  • Cognitive psychologists argue that the mind works like a computer
  • The information-processing model applies the idea that our behaviour depends upon how we process information
  • 1. Input - We receive information from the environment via our senses and this is encoded, e.g. sight
  • 2. Information processing - The information is processed and we store this as a memory
  • 3. Output - The appropriate behaviour or emotion is performed, or retrieval of information occurs
  • Ellis' ABC model of depression is an example of the computer model
• Theoretical models:

  • These can be used to provide testable theories about mental processing and these can be studied scientifically to make inferences
  • Cognitive psychologists look at the processes that happen 'behind the scenes' and will then describe this process in a series of steps
  • One theoretical model is the MSM which suggests that memory has separate unitary stores, each with different coding, capacities and durations and that information flows through memory in a linear way
  • The MSM has been studied scientifically, e.g. Miller investigated the STM's capacity with a controlled lab exp.
• The third feature of the cognitive approach is schemas
• Schemas:

  • A form of internal mental process
  • Mental representations that are created through unique knowledge and experience
  • Held in out LTM and can include beliefs such as stereotypes
  • Schemas can change through life and become more detailed through experience
• Schemas may be beneficial because they help us make quick decisions as they are a useful mental shortcut that prevents us from being overwhelmed by information from the environment

  Schemas may be unbeneficial because they can cause biased recall as we may recall what we expect to see according to our schema, rather than we we have actually witnessed - negative schemas may make a person vulnerable to depression