Cognitive Psychology

• Focuses on mental processes - underlie behaviour
• Views the brain as a computer that processes information
• Internal mental processes are seen as software running on the hardware (the brain)
• Information is input via the senses processed and output in the form of behaviour
• Can't be studied directly - inferred from behaviour and actions
• Using experimentation, try to work out what cognitive processes and structures underlie specific human abilities and behaviours - involves modelling
• Example - Simons et al, study of visual perception

  228 Ps watched 2 teams of 3 basketball players and had to count all the passes, a man dressed as a gorilla walks in the centre, beats chest and walks off

  54% of observers noticed the gorilla