The Cognitive Level of Analysis Objective 1 2

The Cognitive Level of Analysis

Objective 1. 2: Explain how principles that define the cognitive level of analysis

Principles that define the cognitive level of analysis 1. Our physiological processes (such as the physical brain, neurotransmission, etc. ) give rise to cognitive processes (such as language, memory, decision making, perception, learning, etc. ) 2. Models of mental processes can be proposed and investigated scientifically 3. Cognitive processes are influenced by social and cultural factors

1. Our physiological processes give rise to cognitive processes.

1. Our physiological processes give rise to cognitive processes. § In other words, specific parts of the brain can directly correlate to cognitive processes. § Damage to the frontal lobe can directly affect the cognitive process of decision making

1. Our physiological processes give rise to cognitive processes. § Damage to the hippocampus can directly affect the cognitive process of short term memory

1. Our physiological processes give rise to cognitive processes. § Damage to Broca’s area can directly affect the cognitive process of language production

1. Our physiological processes give rise to cognitive processes. ◦ All of our mental processes are physiologically based. Thus, we can better understand cognitive processes by understanding the physiological processes that give rise to cognitive processes. ◦ Thus, this principle may be demonstrated in research by observing how deficits in cognitive processes correlate to specific physiological processes.

2. Models of mental processes can be proposed and investigated scientifically ◦ Cognitive processes are difficult to study. They often occur rapidly, and inside the mind so they cannot be observed directly. ◦ It is only the responses that participants make when given some cognitive task to perform that can tell us about cognitive processes. ◦ These tasks usually take place under tightly controlled lab experiments where the main aim is to isolate a particular component of the cognitive process for the study. (This can be used to assist you with objective 1. 2)

1. Our physiological processes give rise to cognitive processes. ◦ Ethically, since we cannot create these lesions in humans, we must either create lesions with animal models or study cases of the specific lesion. ◦ One specific case example is the case of Clive Wearing Watch for yourself! ◦ http: //www. milkandcookies. com/li nk/63520/detail/

1. How the study demonstrates the principle… ◦ By studying the physiological origins of cognitive processes, we are able to conclude that specific processes (in this example: The Hippocampus) directly effect the cognitive process of memory.

2. Models of mental processes can be proposed (through theory) and investigated scientifically (through lab experiments) ◦ By creating models of cognitive processes, we are able to isolate theses processes (through laboratory experiments) to see how various environmental factors influence them. ◦ In summation, models of cognitive theories allow us to empirically investigate the cognitive products of our physiological processes.

2. Models of mental processes can be proposed (through theory) and investigated scientifically (through lab experiments) ◦ Thus, this principle may be demonstrated in research by empirically studying cognitive models in order examine their causes and influences. ◦ One example is the research experiment conducted by John Ridley Stroop

2. Models of mental processes can be proposed (through theory) and investigated scientifically (through lab experiments) ◦ The Stroop Effect is an effect found in the 1930 s by John Ridley Stroop. ◦ This effect is a model for how our brain processes information. This effect demonstrates how interference can slow down how the brain processes information because it is trying to sort various things at the same time.

2. Models of mental processes can be proposed (through theory) and investigated scientifically (through lab experiments) ◦ The Stroop Test is considered to measure selective attention, cognitive flexibility and processing speed, and it is used as a tool in the evaluation of executive functions (activities such as planning, organizing, strategizing, paying attention to and remembering details, and managing time and space).

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The Stroop Effect

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2. Models of mental processes can be proposed (through theory) and investigated scientifically (through lab experiments) ◦ You may find that you hesitate or stumble, because the brain is trying to pay attention to more than one thing, reading and the visualizing the colors. ◦ The brain tries to process two types of information: a color, and a word naming a color. This is why it is much more difficult to read the second set of words. ◦ This study demonstrates that cognitive models (such as attention processing) can be investigated through scientific methods (such as with an experiment)

Principle 3: Cognitive processes are influenced by social and cultural factors That is, our memories, learning, language, perception, decisions, etc. can be influenced by our culture and by environmental factors. This principle may b e demonstrated in research that looks at social and cultural influences on cognitive processes.

Principle 3: Cognitive processes are influenced by social and cultural factors Frederic Bartlett’s study demonstrates how memory can be distorted by cultural schemas. Schemas are representations of knowledge based on experience. In his study in which British participants were asked to recall a native American folktale.

Principle 3: Cognitive processes are influenced by social and cultural factors He found that the story of ‘The War of the Ghosts’ was difficult for Western people to reproduce exactly because of its cultural content which was unfamiliar to them. The participants ended up encoding the meaning of the story adapted to their existing cultural schemas.

Principle 3: Cognitive processes are influenced by social and cultural factors As a result, Bartlett concluded that cultural interpretation plays a large role in remembering events or stories. By showing the cultural context of our schemas (organized memories), Bartlett was able to show the cultural influence on our cognitions.