Cognitive level of analysis 3 1 Cognitive processes

Cognitive level of analysis 3. 1 Cognitive processes

Cognitive psychology �Includes: perception, thinking, problem solving, memory, language, and attention. �Cognition refers to such processes. �And cognition is based on one’s mental representation �A mental representation is every individual’s unique view of the world – due to one’s experiences. For example: what is right and wrong, gender roles, prejudice, view on education…

Cognitive principles 1. Mental processes guide behaviour 2. The mind can be studied scientifically 3. Cognitive processes are influenced by social and cultural factors

Mental processes guide behaviour �The mind as a complex machine 1. Bottom-up processing (from the sensory system) 2. Processed in the mind by top-down processing (pre-stored information) 3. Finally – output (behaviour) �A link between what we think – and how we act �For example stereotyping (remember the stereotype threat? ) �Our memory can be false due to the nature of reconstructing our memory �Our perception can deceive us – what we think is objectively experienced may just be our brain’s interpretation (context, frequency or recency influence) Example, the Ames room �Visual illusion + be a thinker on p. 69

http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=h. CV 2 Ba 5 wrcs Ames room (Philip Zimbardo)

Memory tests �Go to http: //nanok. com/stm/ to test your Short term memory

The mind can be studied scientifically �Experiments are commonly used – however now both in labs and in our daily lives �Today cognitive psychologists use case studies, brain scans, verbal protocols…

Moving On…

Activity �War of the ghost story �Read it twice

Cognitive processes are influenced by social and cultural factors �Schema theory (Bartlett)memory is subject to distortions �War of the ghost story �Schema is a mental representation of knowledge

Cognitive processes �Self-representation – an idea of who you are and how you look �The same you have for others, objects, animals, the world… �Mental representations are organized in categories stored in our memory �We are able to manipulate mental representations to think of other situations and about the future – what might happen… (books, films, make plans, calculate risks) �What we expect to happen are pre-stored mental representations!

Schema �“An active organisation of past reactions or past experiences” Barlett 1932 �More generally a schema is a stored framework or body of knowledge about some topic (aka script) �When we encounter new material, we try to relate the material to something we already know to existing schemata. �If the material does not match an existing schema, we tend to alter the material to make it fit.

Schema �Due to this theory – recall is not a true, exact recall or reproduction of the original material. �Instead, it is a reconstruction based on elements from the original story and on our existing schemata. �(picture question)

Schema theory and memory processes �Encoding: transforming sensory information into a meaningful memory �Storage: encoded information in memory – lost or consolidated �Retrieval: use the stored information �Schema processing can affect memory at all stages! �Read the research by Anderson & Pichert (1978) on p. 72 and explain how that research shows how schema affect all stages.

Evaluation of schema theory �A lot of research support the schema theory, that it affect cognitive processes such as memory (Bartlett and Anderson & Pichert (1978) ) �Has contributed to an understanding of memory distortions as well as social cognitions �Limitations: not clear on how schemas are acquired in the first place and how they actually influence cognitive processes Therefore Too vague to use according to Cohen 1993 Handout

Moving on to Memory models

Individual Work Write an answer to the following learning outcome: Evaluate two models or theories of one cognitive process with reference to research studies 1. The Multi-store model of memory p. 72 -73 2. The working memory model (4) p. 73 -76 More research can be found in other books suck as : Oxford revision guides (store in C 313) The internet Note! First you have to describe them before evaluating them in your answer!