Level 3 Applied Psyhcology BTEC

Cognitive Approach

Cognitive Approach Overview

• A cognitive approach to psychology focuses on how we process information.
• It seeks to understand how we perceive, remember, think, speak and solve problems.
• Key focus is on the internal mental processes - the 'black box' that inputs stimuli and outputs behaviours and reactions.

Assumptions of Cognitive Approach

• It assumes that the mind actively processes information from our senses (touch, taste, sound, etc.).
• Suggests that we interact with our environment through the cognitive systems and structures present in our brain.
• Proposes that our brain configures the information that we receive, not simply responding but translating the information to make sense of the world around us.
• It is concerned with how these processes affect our behaviour.

Key Concepts in Cognitive Psychology

• Schemas: Structures in our mind that hold general knowledge and understanding about items, people and events based on our previous experiences.
• Information Processing: How we take in information, use it and remember it.
• Cognitive Neuroscience: Studies the biological processes that help us to understand and perceive language, memory and other cognitive processes.
• Computer Metaphor: The idea that the brain works like a computer, inputting, storing and retrieving data.

Strengths and Weaknesses of Cognitive Approach

• Strengths include its scientific nature and its focus on internal behaviours that other approaches may overlook.
• Its focus on processing and structures provides a more complete understanding of how behaviour is generated.
• Weaknesses include a lack of consideration of emotions and feelings, seeing the mind as a 'thinking machine' may not account for the complexity and depth of human emotions.
• It may also be seen as mechanistic, neglecting human elements such as creativity and interpretation in its explanations.

Key Studies in Cognitive Approach

• Bandura, Ross and Ross (1961) - The 'Bobo Doll' experiment demonstrated how children learn aggression through the observational learning process.
• Loftus and Palmer (1974) - Their work on leading questions demonstrated how suggestion could affect a person's memory recall.
• Baddeley and Hitch (1974) - Their working model of memory showed how short-term memory is not a single store but has multiple components.

Applications of Cognitive Approach

• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT): This type of therapy helps patients understand and change thought patterns that lead to harmful or destructive behaviours.
• Artificial Intelligence: The computer metaphor has stimulated many developments in AI and machine learning.
• Cognitive Neuroscience: This has led to improved understanding and treatments for brain damage and neurological disorders.