COGNITIVE LEVEL OF ANALYSIS

Outcome(s):  Review the focus, key vocabulary, and relevant research to the cognitive level of analysis.

Agenda 1. Review markbands 2. Peer grade biological SAQs 3. Cognitive LOA outcomes review 4. Happiness

 SAQs from last class  Grade/peer grade  polish & praise

Outcome #1  Outline principles that define the cognitive level of analysis (for example, mental representations guide behaviour, mental processes can be scientifically investigated).  CLA: how mental processes such as perception, attention, language in the brain process information  Principles:  Human beings are information processors & mental representations guide behavior  Mental processes can and should be studied scientifically  Social and cultural factors affect cognitive processes

Outcome #2  Explain how principles that define the cognitive level of analysis may be demonstrated in research (that is, theories and/or studies).

Outcome #3  Discuss how and why particular research methods are used at the cognitive level of analysis (for example, experiments, observations, interviews).  Research methods: experiments, case studies, observational studies, interviews, surveys, correlational studies  Loftus & Palmer (1974): leading questions, smash, collide, bump, hit  Craik & Tulving (1975)  Memory recall, words on list

Outcome #4  Discuss ethical considerations related to research studies at the cognitive level of analysis  Protection of participants, consent, right to withdraw, confidentiality, deception, debrief  Genie (1981) m/watch?v=VjZolHCrC8 E m/watch?v=VjZolHCrC8 E  Could not be fully informed or give consent  Not in a healthy state of mind to understand the nature of the study

Outcome #5  Evaluate schema theory with reference to research studies.  Schemas: structures that organize knowledge stored in our memory  Bartlett & War of the Ghosts (1932) – serial reproduction  Anderson & Pichert (1978)  Burglar & potential house buyer schema

Outcome #6  Evaluate two models or theories of one cognitive process (for example, memory, perception, language, decision ‑ making) with reference to research studies  Multistore Model of Memory (MSM) – Atkinson & Shiffrin (1968): sensory memory, short term memory, long term memory  Levels of Processing Model  Craik & Tulving

Outcome #7  Explain how biological factors may affect one cognitive process (for example, Alzheimer’s disease, brain damage, sleep deprivation).  Alzheimer's: progressive degenerative disease  Mosconi (2005): shows how biological factors occurring in the hippocampi play a role in AD therefore affecting memory

Outcome #8  Discuss how social or cultural factors affect one cognitive process (for example, education, carpentered-world hypothesis, effect of video games on attention).  Schemas & culture  Bartlett – War of the Ghosts  Cole & Scribner (1974): School children in US vs. Kpelle tribe in Liberia, chunking  Children without formal schooling did not use the categories to aid their recall and subsequently did not remember as much as children who had attended school.

Outcome #9  With reference to relevant research studies, to what extent is one cognitive process reliable (for example, reconstructive memory, perception/visual illusions, decision ‑ making/heuristi cs)?  EWT: cognitive psych & memory  Legal system  Used to be trustworthy and convincing  Loftus & Palmer (1974): automobile and leading questions can influence witnesses’ memory  Ronald Cotton

Outcome #10  Discuss the use of technology in investigating cognitive processes (for example, MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scans in memory research, fMRI scans in decision ‑ making research).  PET, MRI, FMRI, CT  HM: Milner & Scoville (1957) – epileptic seizures, brain surgery to stop seizures, suffered from anterograde amnesia  MRI – investigate cognitive process of memory  Determined the extent of brain damage, that could not be seen using other technologies

Outcome #11  To what extent do cognitive and biological factors interact in emotion (for example, two factor theory, arousal theory, Lazarus’ theory of appraisal)?  Emotion: the body’s adaptive response to a particular situation  LeDoux’s Model of Emotion: two neurological pathways (long route, short route)  Gazzaniga et al. (2000): supporting LeDoux’s theory, demonstrated that brain damage impaired children’s ability to recognize emotion expressed on faces

Outcome #12  Evaluate one theory of how emotion may affect one cognitive process (for example, state-dependent memory, flashbulb memory, affective filters).  Flashbulb memory  Brown & Kulik (1977): interviewed 80 Americans, answered questions about 10 events  Flashbulb memories are formed in situations where we encounter surprisingly and highly emotional information  Maintained by rehearsal  Vivid, longer lasting than other memories

Happiness  Video 1 (?s 1-4)   Video 2 (?s 5-6, ERQ Brainstorm) 