Cognitive approach

• The Cognitive Approach AO1

  • The scientific study of mental processes (e.g. memory)
• The role of inference in the study of mental processes

  • Mental processes are ‘private’ and cannot be observed directly, so cognitive psychologists study them indirectly.
  • They do this by making inferences about what is going on inside people’s heads on the basis of their behaviour
• The use of theoretical models when describing and explaining mental processes

  Cognitive Approach to Mental Processes

  • Uses theoretical models to simplify visual representation of mental processes.

  • Example: Multi-store model of memory.

  • Shows research-based information processing through simplified pictorial format.

  • Information processing approach suggests information flows through input, processing, and output stages.
• The use of computer models when describing and explaining mental processes

  Computer Models in Mental Processes

  • Cognitive approach uses computer analogy to explain mental processes.

  • Central processing unit (CPU) in a computer is similar to the brain in humans.

  • Computers and humans both code information.

  • Computers store information on hard-disk, similar to humans' long-term memory.

  • RAM in a computer is like humans' working memory.
• Schema are packages of information developed through experience

  Cognitive Approach and Schema

  • Schemas serve as a'mental framework' for interpreting information.

  • Babies have simple motor schemas for innate behaviors - sucking and grasping 

  • As we age, schemas become more detailed, influencing behavior and situational awareness.

  • Schemas can influence our perception of the world, potentially leading to depression.
• The emergence of cognitive neuroscience

  Cognitive Neuroscience and Brain Scanning Techniques

  • Cognitive neuroscience studies the influence of brain structures on mental processes.

  • Advances in brain scanning techniques have linked specific brain areas to specific cognitive tasks.

  • Memory research links episodic and semantic memories to opposite sides of the prefrontal cortex.

  • Brain scans have established the neurological basis of some disorders and behaviors.
• The emergence of cognitive neuroscience

  • A link has been found between the size of the hippocampus and depression.

  • Reduced activity in the parahippocampal gyrus of OCD sufferers explains poor decision-making.

  • Paul Broca's area, damaged in his patient's brain, is now known to be responsible for speech production.
• • One strength of the cognitive approach is its application to the treatment of psychological disorders
  • The cognitive approach has been used to explain how faulty thinking processes can cause illnesses such as depression
  • Consequently, the cognitive approach has led to the development of successful treatments including CBT
  • This matters because the cognitive approach has improved the lives of many individuals suffering from illnesses like depression
• • Another strength of the cognitive approach I the use of scientific methods
  • Cognitive psychologists use scientific methods to collect and evaluate evidence
  • This means that conclusions about the mind are based on far more than common sense and introspection
  • This matters because the conclusions present a more valid representation of the human mind
• • Another criticism of the cognitive approach is that it ignores emotion and motivation
  • Although the cognitive approach can tell us how different cognitive processes take place, it fails to explain why they do
  • Furthermore, the over-dependence on computer models may explain why the role of emotion and motivation is largely ignored by the cognitive approach
  • This matters because the human mind is clearly not like a computer, and emotion and motivations are clearly important aspects of human behaviour
• • A final criticism of the cognitive approach is that the studies often lack ecological validity
  • Many studies of the cognitive approach tend to use tasks that have little in common with participants’ everyday experiences
  • For example, experiments in memory use artificial test materials and tasks which are meaningless in everyday life (e.g. memorising random word lists or numbers)
  • Therefore, much of the research in cognitive psychology is said to lack ecological validity, as it fails to reflect real-life behaviour. This therefore undermines the validity of the approach.
• Cognitive neuroscience AO3

  • One strength of cognitive neuroscience is that it uses objective, scientific methods.
  • Cognitive neuroscientists employ highly controlled and rigorous methods of study, using lab studies and sophisticated brain scanning techniques (e.g. fMRIs) to produce reliable and objective data.
  • This is a strength because it means that cognitive neuroscience provides a credible scientific basis for studying the mind and behaviour. 
• Cognitive neuroscience AO3

  • One strength is the important role it has played in establishing the cause of some mental disorders.
  • By using brain scanning techniques, neuroscientists are able to establish the neurological basis of mental disorders.
  • For example, brain scans have shown that there is a link between abnormal functioning of the lateral frontal lobes and OCD. 
  • This is a strength as understanding the neural causes of mental disorders can help with developing treatments, such as drug treatments, that alter the functioning of the brain and treat mental disorders.