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.