cognitive approach

Assumptions

1. the importance of information processing

active processes of information, interpret and evaluate events

cognitive processes: attention, perception, memory and language work together

schemas: illustrate how these processes work

cat: pay attention, acknowledge features, search memory, say its a cat

2. computer analogy

mind is liked to a computer

input (take in) - process (store or change) - output (recall)

hardware (brain), software (cognitive processes)

memory: info from senses, store in STM or LTM, recall 

Theory

attribution: explaining the behaviour of other people

attribution theory: set of ideas aiming to explain why we make certain attributions

heider: dispositional (internal): personality/ situational (external) attribution: environment and sitution

man gives money to charity: internally - kind/ external - pressured by others

kelley: co-variation model

consistency: behaving the same in all situations/ distinctiveness: behaving the same in different situations/ consensus: whether others are behaving in this way

high consistency, low in distinctiveness and consensus = internal/ high in all 3 = external

Rob laughs at friends, only at friends, everyone laughs at friends = friends is a funny show

fundamental attribution error: mistakes especially the dispositional, ignore environment

Thearpy

assumption: active processes, interpret and evaluate events

aim: replace unwanted faulty thoughts with positive thinking

link: focuses on a persons behaviour being influeced by how the person thinks

CBT

short term, once a week for 5-20 sessions, breaking down problmes into simple components

becks cognitive theory: dysfunctional automatic thoughts, negative view

dysfunctional thought diary, rate, rational response, re-rate

therapy during therapy: challenge thoughts by asking for evidence to support it

David & Avellino report: highest success rate, treat OCD, depressiona and eating disorders.

therapist must be qualified and client must see a problem and willing to change

Strength and weaknesses

+ practical applications

treating depression: replace negative thoughts,external validity, general to real life

loftus and palmer: used leading questions to see its effect on memory recall

+ lab experiments

loftus and palmer: artifical enviroment, objective, replicable, measured, check validity

- reductionist and oversimplifies behaviour

input/ process/ output - computer = passive/ human = active processors, forget, emotions

- ignores the role of genetics

CBT: depression is treated by encouraging positive thinking, ignores genetics limiting treatment

depression is linked to low levels of serotonin but this approach ignores this

Methodology

lab experiments

pure science, objective, scientific, cognitive processes, manipulates the IV to see effects on DV

loftus and palmer: IV (verb) DV (speed estimate)

+ quantitative data, control extraneous variables

- demand characteristics, L&P: smashed and bumped

case studies of brain damaged patients

long term, damage in certain area- certain problems with cognitive functioning, clive wearing

+ rare opportunity, increase understannding of brain

- brain structure & cognitive functioning is highly complex, massive interconnections between areas