Cognitive Approach

What is Assumption 1 of the cognitive approach?

Computer Analogy

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What do cognitive psychologists compare the human brain to?

Cognitive psychologists compare human mind to a computer. We take information (input) store it or change it (process) and then recall it when necessary (output).

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How do we receive information?

We receive information into the brain through senses

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What is the hardware?

The hardware is the brain

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What is the software?

The software is the cognitive process

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What is the input?

The input is the information received from the environment through the senses

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What is the output?

The output is the behaviour or reaction a human has

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What is Assumption 2 of the cognitive approach?

Internal mental processes

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What are human seen as?

Humans are seen as information processors. The information is received from the senses and processed by the brain and this process directs how we behave

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Wilhelm Wundt 1879

He came up with Introspection to try and understand internal mental processes

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What is Assumption 3 of the cognitive approach?

Schemata (plural for schema)

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What is Introspection?

Studying and reporting thought processes

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What is the plural for schema?

Schemata is the plural for schema

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What is a schema?

Mental structure that represents an aspect of the world

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How do schemata helps?

Helps make sense of the world providing shortcuts to identify things

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What is the cognitive element?

Therapist work with the client to identify negative thoughts. For example, black and white thinking and catastrophising

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WHat is Black and white thinking ?

Thinking in absolutes with no middle ground.

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What is Catastrophising ?

Magnifying and exaggerating the importance of events or how unpleasant they will be

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What is the behavioural element?

Therapist encourages client to engage in reality testing

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What are cognitive errors?

Thoughts that seem reasonable to the individual but doesn’t reflect reality. An example is automatic negative thoughts.

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What is the negative cognitive triad?

The negative cognitive triad are unrealistic and negative thoughts about: The world. Themselves. The future.

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Component 1 of Cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT)

Dysfunctional thought diary

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What is a dysfunctional thought diary?

Write down automatic negative thoughts. Ratem them, write a logical alternative and then rerate them

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Component 2 of Cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT)

Cognitive Restructuring

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What is cognitive restructuring?

Ask yourself 2 questions: Where is the evidence for x? What is the worse that can happen if x happens?

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What does cognitive restructuring do?

Challenging negative maladaptive thoughts and replaces with healthy thinking. It aims to stop automatic negative thoughts.

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Component 3 of Cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT)

Pleasant activity scheduling

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What is pleasant activity scheduling?

Client plans 1 pleasant activity they will engage in each day to give a sense of accomplishment or break from a normal routine. They note down how they feel and what the circumstances were.

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Strengths of CBT ( evaluation) Part 1

Both Jarret et al (1999) and Hollon et al (1992) prove this therapy to be effective. Client lead allowing free will. CBT has become the most widely used therapy by clinical psychologists working in the NHS.

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Strengths of CBT ( evaluation) Part 2

Kuyken and Tsivrikos (2009) 15% of the outcomes of CBT is due to the competence of the therapist so there is a lot of free will for the client. CBT assumes client (sufferer) is to blame for disorder empowering them to change their thought process.

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Weaknesses of CBT Part 1

Takes longer than other therapies such as drug therapies.Assumes client is to blame causing emotional harm.Less suitable for people who have high levels of irrational beliefs, are rigid and resistant to change

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Weaknesses of CBT Part 2

Simon et al (1995) not effective when the stressor in the person’s life is something they can’t resolve Kuyken and Tsivrikos (2009) 15% of the outcomes of CBT is due to the competence of the therapist

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Weaknesses of CBT Part 3

CBT may damage self-esteem causing emotional harm Alloy and Abrahamson (1979) suggests that depressive people see things for what they really are and normal people distort reality giving it a more positive spin

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Methodology for Loftus and Palmer (1974)

2 experiments conducted in a laboratory. IV = verb used to describe the impact. Dv = estimate of speed Sample: Experiment 1= 45 students Experiment 2= 150 students in groups of different sizes

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Aims for Loftus and Palmer (1974)

Experiment 1- see if the speed estimates would be influenced by leading questions. Experiment 2- find out if leading questions can bias response or alter actual memory

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Procedures for Loftus and Palmer (1974) Experiment 1 PART 1

7 films shown of traffic accident, length was 5-30 seconds. Questionnaire was given to participants. The first question was free recall. Critical question was “ How fast were the cars going when they hit each other.

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Procedures for Loftus and Palmer (1974) Experiment 1 PART 2

9 participants were asked this. Remaining participants were equally divided in groups of 9 and the word was replaced with “smashed”, “collided”, “bumped” and “contacted”. Participants estimated speed and it lasted half an hour

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Procedures for Loftus and Palmer (1974) Experiment 2 PART 1

Shown film of a multiple car crashes. Film lasted less than a minute and the actual accident lasted less than 4 seconds. Participants were given a questionnaire. First question was describe the accident in their own words.

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Procedures for Loftus and Palmer (1974) Experiment 2 PART 2

50 participants were asked “ How fast were the cars going when they smashed into each other?” and other 50 with the word “hit”. The final 50 participants were the control group and weren’t exposed to any question.

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Procedures for Loftus and Palmer (1974) Experiment 2 PART 3

1 week later the participants came back for more questions. They were asked “Did you see the broken glass?” There was no broken glass but broken glass is associated with high speed

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Results for Loftus and Palmer (1974) Experiment 1

Participants with the verb “smashed” estimated the speed higher showing how 1 word affects witness’s answers

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Results for Loftus and Palmer (1974) Experiment 2

When the verb “smashed” was used participants were twice as likely to report seeing broken glass when there wasn't any

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Conclusions for Loftus and Palmer (1974)

Leading questions can distort a person's memory. People’s accuracy for reporting details are distorted through leading questions

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Strengths for Loftus and Palmer (1974) PART 1

An experiment so it can be replicated easily as its the only way to identify cause and effect. Highly controlled experiment so has less extraneous variables. Has been replicated with similar results.

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Strengths for Loftus and Palmer (1974) PART 2

Carmichael (1932) supports Loftus and Palmer Participants shown set of drawings with verbal description. When asked to redraw verbal description affected the drawing. Everyone saw the same film. Was done in a lab

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Weaknesses for Loftus and Palmer (1974) PART 1

Participants were US students Better memory so can’t be generalised. Not much driving experience. Might be more prone to being affected by misleading information

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Weaknesses for Loftus and Palmer (1974) PART 2

Lack of ecological validity- watching films is not the same as experiencing an actual accident as there’s no emotional impact. Participants were aware they were in a study (demand characteristics)

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Ethical issues ( Weaknesses) of Loftus and Palmer (1974)

Didn’t give valid consent but that made experiment more effective as it would’ve affected behaviour (demand characteristics). Decepted participants by not telling the aims to avoid demand characteristics

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Ethical issues ( Strengths) of Loftus and Palmer (1974)

Privacy was kept as the experiment wasn’t invasive. Kept confidentiality through anonymity

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Social implications of Loftus and Palmer (1974) Part 1.................

Education:not using leading questions in pastoral situations it could affect their memory.Use leading questions to support less confident student.Workplaces:Leading questions cause misunderstandings through assuming.Understanding the impact of leadin

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Social implications of Loftus and Palmer (1974) Part 2

Law Leading questions encourage the guilty to go unpunished so there’s no justice Lack of trust in eyewitness which is the closest thing to evidence but their memory could have been distorted

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Strengths of the Cognitive Approach PART 1

Explains the importance of mental processes such as memory. Explains practical elements of human behaviour. Considers influence of external (schemas) and internal (mind processes) processes. Provides objective and controlled research e.g L & P(1974)

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Strengths of the Cognitive Approach PART 2

Successfully applied in therapy to treat mental disorders such as depression. Piaget (1970) suggested 8/9 year old children can’t think abstractly e.g they need to counting sticks to solve a mathematical problem.

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Strengths of the Cognitive Approach PART 3

Advanced memory researcher- Elizabeth Loftus - proved that eye-witnesses accounts can be easily distorted impacting police interviews.

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Weaknesses of the Cognitive Approach

Ignores the role of genes (nature) and social & cultural factors (nurture). Oversimplifies as it only looks at internal mental processes. Piaget (1970) didn’t consider culture or gender on development of thinking in children.

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Eyewitnesses are reliable - (Loftus - 1979)

Loftus (1979) - showed pictures of a man stealing a red wallet. 98% of participants identified colour correctly proving leading questions have limited effect on memory so EWT is reliable.

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Eyewitnesses are reliable - (Yullie & Cutshall - 1979)

Yullie & Cutshall (1979) - interviewed 13 witnesses in a real robbery & asked 2 misleading questions but witnesses weren’t affected by it.

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Eyewitnesses are reliable - (Brown & Kulik (1977)

Brown & Kulik (1977) - flashbulb memory- long-lasting memories occur at times of heightened emotion.

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Eyewitness testimony are not reliable ( schema+ Christianson & Hubinette 1993)

Schema helps remember better and stereotypes help. Christianson & Hubinette (1993) - witnesses to real bank robberies who were threatened had better recall than onlookers who weren’t involved

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Eyewitness testimony are not reliable (Deffenbacher et al - 2004)

Deffenbacher et al (2004) - meta-analysis (reliable due to large sample) and high stress has a negative impact on accuracy

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Cognitive Approach

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