Cognitive Psychology

What is Cognitive Psychology? The cognitive approach to help us to understand how mental processes shape our behaviour Cognition means knowing: how we come to know the world around us The human mind is compared with a computer – we are information processors Cognitive processors actively organise and manipulate information that we receive – humans do not merely passively respond to their environment Key areas: perception; memory; language and thought; attention

What use is Cognitive Psychology? Humans have very powerful mental capacities, e.g., Abstract reasoning Language Memory Cognitive psychology can help us understand and help people who have not developed their cognitive abilities in the normal way (autism/Baron-Cohen) How memory works (Loftus) – Eye witness Testimony

Disadvantages of the Cognitive Approach Cognitive psychology has a narrow focus on mental processes. It does not automatically take account of individual, social or biological factors in behaviour Many of the theories produced by cognitive psychologists are hard to test because mental processes are hidden from view Is the brain like a computer – or infinitely more complex? Does not always take into account the emotional life of humans – free will and conscious experience

A typical cognitive type question Is perception learned or innate? Draw a typical child’s picture of a house What aspects of the drawing do you think are ‘culturally-bound’?

Cognitive Psychology - Sensation vs. Perception Our senses encode information accurately (sensation) Then our mind interprets it according to what makes most sense (perception)

In this illustration, the stairs should turn upside down during a steady gaze. The wall with the floating glass sphere will shift from the foreground to the background (or vice-versa)

Stare at the picture (on the left) for about 45 seconds Stare at the picture (on the left) for about 45 seconds. Then, stare at the white section of this image (the right section). You should see the Queen again. Keep your concentration, and for those 45 seconds, don't take your eyes off the picture.

Do you think that these lines are parallel. They are Do you think that these lines are parallel? They are! But it doesn't look like it does it? We suppose that's what makes it an illusion!!!

Ghostly black patches appear at the white intersections Ghostly black patches appear at the white intersections. The illusion was noted by Hermann (1870) while reading a book on sound by Tyndall (1869).

Another typical question is how does memory work?

Some people have amazing memory

You will be learning about 2 different theories of memory I am going to tell you a story