THE COGNITIVE MODEL

INTERNAL MENTAL PROCESSES

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• Much of cognitive psychology comprises of information processing - attention, perception, memory an problem solving.
• must be inferred as can't be studied easily

THE ROLE OF SCHEMA

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• Cognitive framework that helps organise and interpret information.
• Helps us take short cuts but we ignore info that doesn't fit
• Example Sterotyping

THEORETICAL AND COMPUTER MODELS

THEORETICAL MODELS

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• Such as the WMM are simplified and diagrammatic representations
• Refined as understanding improves
• Eg Adding Episodic Buffer

COMPUTER MODELS

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• The development of computers led to comparions in cog processes
• RAM - Working Memory
• Used to simulate human processing and test our understanding

EMERGENCE OF NEUROSCIENCE

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• Invention of non invasive techniques such as PET scans or fMRI - imporved understanding
• Eg when we feel guilty we can identify particular brain regions

APPLICATIONS

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• Understanding of errors and biases helps us interpret behaviour
• Understanding of psychopathology has led to treatments such as REBT
• Change the thinking and lift the depression

SCIENTIFIC

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• Favours rigorous scientific methods
• Conclusions based on more than introspection
• Much less misleading and much more accurate understanding of behaviour

RIGIDITY OF MODELS

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• Large differences between computers and humans
• computers do not make mistakes, ignore info or forget
• Humans do all of these making comparison difficult. Also ignore emotion and motivation

LACK OF VALIDITY

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• Findings often struggle to generalise out of the lab setting
• Memory tests often use work list and therefore are not valid
• Experiments often lack the realism to represent normal human behaviour

Apply

• After observing real counsellors at work, cognitive scientists develop a computerised counsellor which they claim can asks questions in a way that is indistinguishable from humans. In pilot tests pps rate the capability as low.
• Why is the rating likely to be so low (3)