Cognitive level of analysis3.1 Cognitive processes

Cognitive psychologyIncludes: perception, thinking, problem

solving, memory, language, and attention. Cognition refers to such processes.And cognition is based on one’s mental

representationA 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 principles1.Mental processes guide

behaviour2.The mind can be studied

scientifically3.Cognitive processes are

influenced by social and cultural factors

Mental processes guide behaviour

The mind as a complex machine1. 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 actFor 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=hCV2Ba5wrcs 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…

ActivityWar of the ghost storyRead 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 processesSelf-representation – an idea of who you are and how

you lookThe 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 1932More 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.

SchemaDue 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 processesEncoding: transforming sensory information into a

meaningful memoryStorage: 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 theoryA 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 1993Handout

Moving on to Memory models

Individual WorkWrite an answer to the following learning outcome:Evaluate two models or theories of one cognitive process with reference to research studies1. The Multi-store model of memory p. 72-732. The working memory model (4) p. 73-76More research can be found in other books suck as : Oxford revision guides (store in C313)The internetNote! First you have to describe them before evaluating them in your answer!