cognitive approach

• What are two assumptions of the cognitive approach?

  Human behaviour is influenced by internal mental processes

  Cognitive processing is affected by pre-existing beliefs and expectations.
• In what way does the mind operate according to the cognitive approach?

  The mind operates in a similar way to a computer.
• How can mental processes be regarded in the cognitive approach?

  Mental processes can be regarded as information processing.
• What is a schema?

  A schema is a cognitive framework that helps to organize and interpret incoming information in the brain.
• Why are schemas useful in processing information?

  Schemas enable us to process vast amounts of new information rapidly and prevent us from becoming overwhelmed.

  Schemas inform us about what to expect and how to act accordingly in a social situation based on our experience
• What is a disadvantage of schemas?


  1.can distort our interpretation of sensory information

  2.leading to perceptual errors (inaccurate EWT or memories)

  3.negative or faulty schema can have a negative impact on mental health

  4.biased to ignore things not conforming to our pre-exiting beliefs

  5. can develop stereotypes that are hard to change
• What are theoretical models in cognitive psychology?

  Theoretical models are simplified representations of cognitive processes based on current research evidence.
• What is an example of a theoretical model?

  An example of a theoretical model is the working memory model.
• How are theoretical models typically presented?

  Theoretical models are usually pictorial with boxes and arrows.
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  Theoretical models are often incomplete because they are frequently changed, updated, and refined based on new research.
• What do computer models refer to in cognitive psychology?

  • Computer models refer to the process of using computer analogies as a representation of human cognition.

  - They assume that humans can be viewed as data processing systems and the workings of a computer and the human mind are alike

  • referring to how information is extracted stored and retrieved, which then guides behaviour
• How does information flow in a computer model analogy?

  Information is inputted through senses, encoded into memory, and then combined with previous information to complete a task.
• Applications of the cognitive approach-has been used successfully to explain mental disorders like depression as Beck’s theory states depression develops through acquiring negative schema which causes a systematic cognitive bias in thinking. This has resulted in successful therapies such as CBT which has a high success rate. The real world application of cognitive approach increases the validity of this theory
• The cognitive approach can be described as reductionst because it reduces complex human behavour down to one fundamental factor of information processing. Which is an example of machine reductionsm. However this can be a problem because other factors may be ignored preventing more valid and realistic explanations of behaviour for example biological factors in the biological approach which have been genetically proved unlike the cognitive approach where behaviour is studied indirectly. Holistic

  However it can be useful to understand more in detail cognitive factors
• Ignores  emotion and motivation. The cognitive approach explains how cognitive processes take place but not why they take place. The lack of focus on motivation may be explained by the over dependence on information processing analogies,as motivation can not be applied to a computer but this is a limitation as humans have a more complex makeup and thought processes than a computer
• Interfering-reaching a logical conclusion based on evidence and reasoning
• cog app

  The cognitive approach uses experimental research methods to study internal mental processes such as attention, perception, memory and decision-making.
• . Cognitive psychologists assume that the mind actively processes information from our senses (touch, taste etc.) and that between stimulus and response is a series of complex mental processes, which can be studied scientifically

  cog and senses