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Cognitive psychology is the scientific study of the mind as an information processor. It concerns how we take in information from the outside world, and how we make sense of that information.
Cognitive psychology studies mental processes, including how people perceive, think, remember, learn, solve problems, and make decisions.
Cognitive psychologists try to build cognitive models of the information processing that occurs inside people’s minds, including perception, attention, language, memory, thinking, and consciousness.
Cognitive psychology became of great importance in the mid-1950s. Several factors were important in this:
The emphasis of psychology shifted away from the study of conditioned behavior andpsychoanalytical notionsabout the study of the mind, towards the understanding of human information processing using strict and rigorous laboratory investigation.
cognitive psychology sub-topics
Summary Table
Key Features• Mediation processes• Information processing approach• Reductionism (breaks behavior down)•Nomothetic(studies the group)• Schemas (re: Kohlberg & Piaget)Methodology• Controlled Experiments• Physical measures (e.g., neuroimaging)• Case studies (cognitive neuroscience)• Behavioral measures (e.g., reaction time)
Key Features• Mediation processes• Information processing approach• Reductionism (breaks behavior down)•Nomothetic(studies the group)• Schemas (re: Kohlberg & Piaget)
Methodology• Controlled Experiments• Physical measures (e.g., neuroimaging)• Case studies (cognitive neuroscience)• Behavioral measures (e.g., reaction time)
Strengths• Objective measurement, which can be replicated and peer-reviewed• Real-life applications (e.g., CBT)• Clear predictions that can be can be scientifically testedLimitations• Reductionist (e.g., ignores biology)• Experiments have low ecological validity• Behaviourism – can’t objectively study unobservable internal behavior
Strengths• Objective measurement, which can be replicated and peer-reviewed• Real-life applications (e.g., CBT)• Clear predictions that can be can be scientifically tested
Limitations• Reductionist (e.g., ignores biology)• Experiments have low ecological validity• Behaviourism – can’t objectively study unobservable internal behavior
Theoretical Assumptions
Mediational processes occur between stimulus and response:
The behaviorist approach only studies external observable (stimulus and response) behavior that can be objectively measured.
They believe that internal behavior cannot be studied because we cannot see what happens in a person’s mind (and therefore cannot objectively measure it).
However, cognitive psychologists consider it essential to examine an organism’s mental processes and how these influence behavior.
Cognitive psychology assumes amediational processoccurs between stimulus/input and response/output.
These are mediational processes because they mediate (i.e., go-between) between the stimulus and the response. They come after the stimulus and before the response.
Without this understanding, psychologists cannot have a complete understanding of behavior.
Examples
The mediational (i.e., mental) event could bememory,perception,attentionor problem-solving, etc.
For example, the cognitive approach suggests that problem gambling results from maladaptive thinking and faulty cognitions, which both result in illogical errors.
Gamblers misjudge the amount of skill involved with ‘chance’ games, so they are likely to participate with the mindset that the odds are in their favour and that they may have a good chance of winning.
Therefore, cognitive psychologists say that if you want to understand behavior, you must understand these mediational processes.
Psychology should be seen as a science:
This assumption is based on the idea that although not directly observable, the mind can be investigated using objective and rigorous methods, similar to how other sciences study natural phenomena.
Controlled experiments
The cognitive approach believes that internal mental behavior can be scientifically studied usingcontrolled experiments.
It uses the results of its investigations to make inferences about mental processes.
Cognitive psychology uses highly controlled laboratory experiments to avoid the influence ofextraneous variables.
This allows the researcher to establish a causal relationship between the independent and dependent variables.
Operational definitions
Cognitive psychologists develop operational definitions to study mental processes scientifically.
These definitions specify how abstract concepts, such as attention or memory, can be measured and quantified (e.g., verbal protocols of thinking aloud). This allows for reliable and replicable research findings.
Falsifiability
Falsifiabilityin psychology refers to the ability to disprove a theory or hypothesis through empirical observation or experimentation. If a claim is not falsifiable, it is considered unscientific.
This commitment to falsifiability helps to distinguish scientific theories from pseudoscientific or unfalsifiable claims.
Empirical evidence
Cognitive psychologists rely on empirical evidence to support their theories and models.
They collect data through various methods, such as experiments, observations, and questionnaires, to test hypotheses and draw conclusions about mental processes.
Cognitive psychologists assume that mental processes are not random but are organized and structured in specific ways. They seek to identify the underlying cognitive structures and processes that enable people to perceive, remember, and think.
Cognitive psychologists have made significant contributions to our understanding of mental processes and have developed various theories and models, such as themulti-store model of memory, theworking memory model, and the dual-process theory of thinking.
Humans are information processors:
The information processing approach is based on several assumptions, including:
Computer-Mind Analogy
The computer-brain metaphor, or the information processing approach, is a significant concept in cognitive psychology that likens the human brain’s functioning to that of a computer.
This metaphor suggests that the brain, like a computer, processes information through a series of linear steps, including input, storage, processing, and output.
According to this assumption, when we interact with the environment, we take in information through our senses (input).
During the processing stage, the mind performs operations on the information, such as encoding, transforming, and combining it with previously stored knowledge. This processing can involve various cognitive processes, such as thinking, reasoning, problem-solving, and decision-making.
The processed information can then be used to generate outputs, such as actions, decisions, or new ideas. These outputs are based on the information that has been processed and the individual’s goals and motivations.
This has led to models showing information flowing through the cognitive system, such as the multi-store memory model.
as multi
The information processing approach also assumes that the mind has a limited capacity for processing information, similar to a computer’s memory and processing limitations.
This means that humans can only attend to and process a certain amount of information at a given time, and that cognitive processes can be slowed down or impaired when the mind is overloaded.
The Role of Schemas
Aschemais a “packet of information” or cognitive framework that helps us organize and interpret information. It is based on previous experience.
Cognitive psychologists assume that people’s prior knowledge, beliefs, and experiences shape their mental processes. They investigate how these factors influence perception, attention, memory, and thinking.
Schemas can often affect cognitive processing (a mental framework of beliefs and expectations developed from experience). As people age, they become more detailed and sophisticated.
However, it can also lead todistortion of this informationas we select and interpret environmental stimuli using schemas that might not be relevant.
This could be the cause of inaccuracies in areas such as eyewitness testimony. It can also explain some errors we make when perceiving optical illusions.
Weaknesses
1. Behaviorist Critique
B.F. Skinner criticizes the cognitive approach. He believes that only external stimulus-response behavior should be studied, as this can be scientifically measured.
Therefore, mediation processes (between stimulus and response) do not exist as they cannot be seen and measured.
Behaviorismassumes that people are born a blank slate (tabula rasa) and are not born with cognitive functions likeschemas,memoryorperception.
2. Complexity of mental experiences
Mental processes are highly complex and multifaceted, involving a wide range of cognitive, affective, and motivational factors that interact in intricate ways.
The complexity of mental experiences makes it difficult to isolate and study specific mental processes in a controlled manner.
3. Experimental Methods
While controlled experiments are the gold standard in cognitive psychology research, they may not always capture real-world mental processes’ complexity and ecological validity.
Some mental processes, such as creativity or decision-making in complex situations, may be difficult to study in laboratory settings.
Rogers emphasizes a moreholistic approachto understanding behavior.
The cognitive approach uses a very scientific method that is controlled and replicable, so the results are reliable.
However, experiments lack ecological validity because of the artificiality of the tasks and environment, so they might not reflect the way people process information in their everyday lives.
However, these words had no meaning to the participants, so the way they used their memory in this task was probably very different from what they would have done if the words had meaning for them.
This is a weakness, as the theories might not explain how memory works outside the laboratory.
4. Computer Analogy
Theinformation processingparadigm of cognitive psychology views the minds in terms of a computer when processing information.
However, although there are similarities between the human mind and the operations of a computer (inputs and outputs, storage systems, and the use of a central processor), the computer analogy has been criticized.
Computers do not have feelings, emotions, or a sense of self, which play crucial roles in human cognition and behavior.
The brain-computer metaphor is often used implicitly in neuroscience literature through terms like “sensory computation,” “algorithms,” and “neural codes.” However, it is difficult to identify these concepts in the actual brain.
5. Reductionist
The cognitive approach is reductionist as it does not consider emotions and motivation, which influence the processing of information and memory. For example, according to theYerkes-Dodson law, anxiety can influence our memory.
Such machine reductionism (simplicity) ignores the influence of human emotion and motivation on the cognitive system and how this may affect our ability to process information.
Early theories of cognitive approach did not always recognize physical (biological psychology) and environmental (behaviorist approach) factors in determining behavior.
However, it’s important to note that modern cognitive psychology has evolved to incorporate a more holistic understanding of human cognition and behavior.
Strengths
1. Importance of cognitive factors versus external events
Cognitive psychology emphasizes the role of internal cognitive processes in shaping emotional experiences, rather than solely focusing on external events.
Beck’s cognitive theory suggests that it is not the external events themselves that lead to depression, but rather the way an individual interprets and processes those events through their negative schemas.
This highlights the importance of addressing cognitive factors in the treatment of depression and other mental health issues.
Social exchange theory (Thibaut & Kelly, 1959) emphasizes that relationships are formed through internal mental processes, such as decision-making, rather than solely based on external factors.
The computer analogy can be applied to this concept, where individuals observe behaviors (input), process the costs and benefits (processing), and then make a decision about the relationship (output).
2. Interdisciplinary approach
While early cognitive psychology may have neglected physical and environmental factors, contemporary cognitive psychology has increasingly integrated insights from other approaches.
Cognitive psychology draws on methods and findings from other scientific disciplines, such asneuroscience, computer science, and linguistics, to inform their understanding of mental processes.
This interdisciplinary approach strengthens the scientific basis of cognitive psychology.
Cognitive psychology has influenced and integrated with many other approaches and areas of study to produce, for example,social learning theory, cognitive neuropsychology, and artificial intelligence (AI).
3. Real World Applications
Another strength is that the research conducted in this area of psychology very often has applications in the real world.
By highlighting the importance of cognitive processing, the cognitive approach can explain mental disorders such as depression.
Beck’s cognitive theory of depression argues that negative schemas about the self, the world, and the future are central to the development and maintenance of depression.
These negative schemas lead to biased processing of information, selective attention to negative aspects of experience, and distorted interpretations of events, which perpetuate the depressive state.
By identifying the role of cognitive processes in mental disorders, cognitive psychology has informed the development of targeted interventions.
Cognitive behavioral therapy aims to modify the maladaptive thought patterns and beliefs that underlie emotional distress, helping individuals to develop more balanced and adaptive ways of thinking.
CBT’s basis is to change how people process their thoughts to make them more rational or positive.
Through techniques such as cognitive restructuring, behavioral experiments, and guided discovery, CBT helps individuals to challenge and change their negative schemas, leading to improvements in mood and functioning.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)has been very effective in treating depression (Hollon & Beck, 1994), and moderately effective for anxiety problems (Beck, 1993).
Issues and Debates
Free will vs. Determinism
On the other hand, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) operates on the premise that individuals can change their thought patterns, suggesting a capacity for free will.
Nature vs. Nurture
The cognitive approach takes an interactionist view of the debate, acknowledging the influence of bothnature and nurtureon cognitive processes.It recognizes that while some cognitive abilities, such as language acquisition, may have an innate component (nature), experiences and learning (nurture) also shape the way information is processed.
The cognitive approach takes an interactionist view of the debate, acknowledging the influence of bothnature and nurtureon cognitive processes.
It recognizes that while some cognitive abilities, such as language acquisition, may have an innate component (nature), experiences and learning (nurture) also shape the way information is processed.
Holism vs. Reductionism
The cognitive approach tends to bereductionistin its methodology, as it often studies cognitive processes in isolation.For example, researchers may focus on memory processes without considering the influence of other cognitive functions or environmental factors.While this approach allows for more controlled study, it may lack ecological validity, as in real life, cognitive processes typically interact and function simultaneously.
The cognitive approach tends to bereductionistin its methodology, as it often studies cognitive processes in isolation.
For example, researchers may focus on memory processes without considering the influence of other cognitive functions or environmental factors.
While this approach allows for more controlled study, it may lack ecological validity, as in real life, cognitive processes typically interact and function simultaneously.
Idiographic vs. Nomothetic
The cognitive approach is primarily nomothetic, as it seeks to establish general principles and theories of information processing that apply to all individuals.
It aims to identify universal patterns and mechanisms of cognition rather than focusing on individual differences.
History of Cognitive Psychology
References
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Further Reading
Why Your Brain is Not a ComputerCognitive Psychology Historial Development
Olivia Guy-Evans, MSc
BSc (Hons) Psychology, MSc Psychology of Education
Olivia Guy-Evans is a writer and associate editor for Simply Psychology. She has previously worked in healthcare and educational sectors.
Saul McLeod, PhD
BSc (Hons) Psychology, MRes, PhD, University of Manchester
Saul McLeod, PhD., is a qualified psychology teacher with over 18 years of experience in further and higher education. He has been published in peer-reviewed journals, including the Journal of Clinical Psychology.
