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 Mental processes guide behaviour The mind can be studied scientifically Cognitive processes are influenced by social and cultural factors

1. Mental processes guide behaviour (people are active information processors) The mind as a complex machine Bottom-up processing (from the sensory system) Processed in the mind by top-down processing (pre-stored information) Finally – output (behaviour) A link between what we think – and how we act

1. Mental processes guide behaviour (people are active information processors) For example stereotyping (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=hCV2Ba5wrcs Ames room (Philip Zimbardo)

2. 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… anyone who would dare to try it??

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

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

Moving On…

Activity – save until later War of the ghost story Read it twice

Moving on to Memory models How does our memory work? Look like? Structured? How is it divided? How do we know? Do we know?

Individual Work Write an answer to the following learning outcome: Evaluate two models or theories of one cognitive process with reference to research studies The Multi-store model of memory p. 72-73 The working memory model (4) p. 73-76 More research can be found in other books such as : Oxford revision guides (store in C313) The internet Note! First you have to describe them before evaluating them in your answer!