The Cognitive Approach + CBT
- Created by: chlopayne
- Created on: 14-04-19 19:19
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- The Cognitive Approach
- Key assumptions
- The Computer Analogy
- Cognitive psychologists often compare the human mind to a computer.
- Compares how we take information in (input), store it or change it (process) and then recall (output).
- Human output isn't identical to the input.
- The Multistore Memory Model (Atkinson and Shriffrin 1968).
- Information enters through the senses and then moves to short term memory store, and then to the long term memory store.
- Compares how we take information in (input), store it or change it (process) and then recall (output).
- Cognitive psychologists often compare the human mind to a computer.
- Internal mental processes
- Humans are seen as information processes.
- How information received is processed and how this affects how we behave.
- Looks at how various cognitive functions work together to help us make sense of the world.
- A problem with this is that thoughts cannot be observed or measured. Wundt (1879) used introspection to investigate thoughts.
- Scientific and controlled experiments (laboratory) allow psychologists to infer what is happening.
- A problem with this is that thoughts cannot be observed or measured. Wundt (1879) used introspection to investigate thoughts.
- Looks at how various cognitive functions work together to help us make sense of the world.
- How information received is processed and how this affects how we behave.
- Humans are seen as information processes.
- Schemata
- Mental structures that represent an aspect of the world.
- Helps us make sense of the world, making short cuts to identify things.
- Generated through experience and interactions.
- However, they aren't always correct. It can also alter out memory.
- Allport and Postman (1947). White participants shown a picture of a black person being held at gunpoint. Their recall was the black man as the mugger.
- However, they aren't always correct. It can also alter out memory.
- Generated through experience and interactions.
- Helps us make sense of the world, making short cuts to identify things.
- Mental structures that represent an aspect of the world.
- The Computer Analogy
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
- Challenge negative thoughts and replace them with positive thinking.
- Helps to treat depression, stress and anxiety.
- Dysfunctional thought diary: clients are asked to keep a diary of thoughts and feelings. Attention to automative negative thoughts.
- Rate how much they believe it, then give a rational response to it.
- Cognitive restructuring: clients are taught how to challenge dysfunctional automatic thoughts.
- Two questions: "Where is the evidence for X?' + 'What is the worst that can happen if X is true?'
- The negative thought can be replace by positive constructive ones.
- Two questions: "Where is the evidence for X?' + 'What is the worst that can happen if X is true?'
- Pleasant activity scheduling: behavioural activity technique. Change behaviour into something positive, associate with positive.
- Going to the gym for a new class.
- Evaluation
- Effectiveness
- Cahill (2003) assessed symptoms of 58 patients receiving CBT for depression. 71% of patients who completed therapy experienced reduction in their symptoms.
- Kuyken and Tsivikos (2009) found 15% of effectiveness of CBT may be down to the therapist, rather than the therapy itself.
- Doesn't take into account individual differences (nomothetic)
- Not suitable for all problems.
- Limited use where mental illness is due to real life stressors (Simons 1995)
- Treats the symptoms of mental illnesses rather than the cause.
- Another issue is cause and effect. Assumes cognitive errors lead to the mental illness.
- Ethical issues
- Might put blame of mental illness onto patient themselves.
- Patient may feel worse than they already do, reducing self-esteem.
- Might make the patient worse than before.
- Patient may feel worse than they already do, reducing self-esteem.
- Up to the therapist's judgment to decide what a 'rational thought' is.
- Might put blame of mental illness onto patient themselves.
- Effectiveness
- Challenge negative thoughts and replace them with positive thinking.
- The cognitive approach is concerned with how thinking shapes our behaviour.
- Explain behaviour in terms of thoughts, feelings and attitudes.
- Evaluation of the approach
- Useful?
- Pure cognitive psychology has been useful to generate theories and research, helping us gain greater insight into how the mind works.
- Outside of academic, it has been useful in the real world. Known as applied cognitive psychology, applied to a real world situation.
- Cognitive behavioural therapy. Combines cognitive and behaviourist techniques to help clients.
- Legal system = Eyewitness testimony
- Education = Piageu, children thinking isn't the same as adults.
- Scientific?
- Cognitive approach is evidence that psychology is a science.
- Evidence: Controlled experiments, brain scans, memory research in laboratory conditions.
- Objective: Cognitive neuroscience - researchers are able to establish exact responsibilities of the areas of the brain. Memory tests.
- Replicable and reliable: experiments are taken in controlled lab conditions, Procedures are standardised.
- Useful?
- Key assumptions
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