cognitive approach

• cognitive approach


  how internal mental processes affect behaviour
• How do cognitive psychologists study cognitive psychology?

  They study internal mental processes indirectly by making inferences.
• Theoretical model


  The information processing approach suggests information flows through the cognitive system in stages
• Computer model


  The computer analogy states there are similarities between how information in the brain and computers is processed.
• Schema


  it is a mental framework of beliefs and expectations that influence cognitive processes which are developed from experience
• cognitive neuroscience


  It is the study of biological structures that underpin cognitive processes.
• What have brain scanning techniques found?

  STM - when ppts complete a task using the STM, it is the prefrontal cortex is active

  
  

  LTM - when ppts complete a task using the LTM, it is the hippocampus that is active
• AO3 = scientific and uses objective methods (strength)


  Controlled and rigorous methods mean they are able to infer processes which produce reliable and objective data.

  
  

  Cognitive neuroscience is a mixture of cognitive and biological methods which are highly scientific
• AO3 = machine reductionism (weakness)


  The analogy between the human mind and computers has been criticised as it ignores the influence of emotions and motivation which affect how we process information. For example, in an eyewitness testimony, our memory is affected by anxiety.
• AO3 = lack of application to everyday life (weakness)


  It can be too abstract and theoretical as we are only able to infer from mental processes and study them indirectly. the research is carried out in labs which use artificial stimuli that lack external validity.
• AO3 = application to real life (strength)


  There are lots of advances in technology which will change how we live. For example, AI and robots are used to mimic human behaviour.
• AO3 = less deterministic (strength)


  It uses soft determinism which suggests that our mental processes are determined by certain factors but we also have free-will.