Flashcards
Cognitive Level of Analysis for Psychology
Cards in this deck (14)
- 1Outline the 3 principles that define the cognitive level of analysis1) Humans are information processes
2) Mental processes can be scientifically studied through lab experiments
3) Culture and social factors influence cognitive processes - 2What are the key points for the principle: 'Humans are Information Processors'1) Cognition refers to all mental tasks
2) People acquire input, process it and store to use when appropriate
3) Atkinson & Schriffin
4) Schema Theory - 3What are the main points for the cognitive principle: 'Mental processes can be scientifically studied through lab experiments'1) Mental processes are hard to observe as they occur rapidly and there's no direct observation
2) Stroop Effect, a classic example of a lab experiment (IV affecting DV) - 4What are the key points for the cognitive principle: 'Social and Cultural factors influence cognitive processes'1) Cognitive processes are universal
2) Processing is different (cognitive skills)
3) War of the Ghost by Bartlett
4) Cole & Scribner - 5Discuss why particular research methods are used at the cognitive level of analysis1) Lab Experiment:
strength: clearest way of showing IV affecting DV e.g. Craik & Tulving
weakness: ecological validity
2) Case Studies (of brain damage patients) e.g. Case of Tan (leading to finding of Broca's are)
and Case of H.M. (leading to finding the role of hippocampus forming LTM)
strength: take advantage of naturally occurring events (unethical to impose on people)
weakness: unique circumstances may compromise generalizability (H.M. had epileptic seizures) and damage is widespread (H.M. = hippocampus + medial temporal lobe)
3) Brain Imaging Techniques: e.g. Goshe et al had 100% accuracy in determining difference between Alzheimer patients and patients with none or few symptoms
strength: indirect study of brain areas through CAT,PET, or MRI scans
weakness: correlation not causation, brain areas activate for various reasons - 6Discuss ethical considerations related to research studies at the cognitive level of analysis1) Consent - may produce demand characteristics e.g. Milgram
2) Deception - necessary in some situations e.g. Milgram
3)Debriefing - ensure participants are not affected/traumatized e.g. Milgram
4) Protection of participants - researcher's obligation to take care of participants e.g. Milgram/Zimbardo
5)Right to withdraw - participants feel obliged to continue e.g. Milgram
6)Confidentiality - unique circumstances give them away e.g. H.M. - 7Evaluate schema theory with reference to research studies1) Schemas are mental representations of the world
2) Reconstructed memories may have distortions
3) War of the Ghosts - Bartlett; not controlled well
4) Repeat of the study with realistic events - Wynn & Logie
5) Anderson & Pichert
6) Rumelhart - no definition for a schema
7) Cohen - schema theory does not explain how they work
8) Schemas help us simplify reality but may distort memories - 8Evaluate two models of memory1) Atkinson & Schriffin - Models of Memory
2) Many support the distinction of LTM & STM - e.g. Glanzer & Kunitz's 'primary-recency'
3) Model is oversimplified, one way and passive
4) Levels of Processing by Craik & Lockhart
5) Hyde & Jenkins found 51% more recall with semantic processing
6) Supports understanding for studying rather than reading and re-reading
7) Eynsenck says LoP describes but does not explain
8) Anderson & Bower emphasize on elaboration
9)'depth' and 'elaboration' are ill defined
10) circular reasoning - deeply processed memory remembered better but measure of depth is how well inf. is recalled - 9Explain how biological factors may influence one cognitive process1) Role of Hippocampus - Kandel identifying memories within the neuron circuitry
2)Case studies of brain damaged patients
e.g. H.M, Clive Wearing
However, uniqueness compromise generalizability and ethical issues
3) Animal Studies
e.g. Zola-Morgan
However, ethical issues and generalizability questions - 10To what extent is one cognitive process reliable?1) Heavy reliance on memory
2) Reconstructive nature of memory
3) War of the Ghosts - Bartlett
4) Loftus & Palmer - Leading questions
5) Loftun & Christianson - Car crash
6) Yuille criticizes lack of ecological validity and emotional trauma
7) Freudian theory of repression
8) Williams - on sexual abuse victims, 38% repressed
weakness: unsure whether hospital records report on conviction or suspicion
9) Eileen Franklin
10) Loftus & Pickerell - implanted memories, 25% believed in the false memories
11) False memory based accusations
Summary: memories are reconstructed by schema, interfered with later information and susceptible to false information (could mention Neisser on Challenger Explosion) - 11Discuss how social or cultural factors affect one cognitive process1) Cognitive process is universal, not cognitive task
2) Cole & Scriber - comparison between American children, Kpelle children and non-schoold Kpelle children
3) Cole - tested against cognitive task like clustering using narrative method
4) Rogoff - Mayan children with 3D Diorama - 12Discuss the use of technology in investigating one cognitive process1) Alzheimer as loss of neurons to areas crucial to cognitive processing
2) Tools to help diagnoses: Medical test, Medical history, Neuropsychological tests, Brain scans
3) Only definitive diagnosis after death
4) PET - tracer watching sugar consumption and use (less activity in damaged areas)
5) Longitudinal study found reduction brain metabolism in hippocampus before onset of Alzheimer for 50 people
6) MRI - a set image, can be used to observe physical shrinking of hippocampus
7) Goshe - MRI patients for 119 participants, 100% accuracy between ALZ and no/few symptoms and 93% between mild cognitive impairment and no problem - 13To what extent do cognitive and biological factors interact in emotion1) Shacter & Singer - Two factor theory
2) Lazarus - Appraisal theory
3) Speisman - video of genital mutilation with varying commentary
4) Le Doux - (used rats) dual pathways allowing for flexible reactions and no condition to fear if short-path was cut.
5) Feinsten - studied S.M., a woman who had a rare disease that destroyed amygdala resulting in inability to fear - 14Evaluate one theory of how emotion may affect one cognitive process1) Heavy reliance on memory
2) Brown & Kulik - Flashbulb memory triggered by biological mechanism to release hormones
3) Sharot - had participants in fMRI while recalling a 9/11 and found higher readings in stress hormones
4) Neisser, memories are clearer and longer lasting due to frequent rehearsal
5) Neisser - Challenger Explosion, 40% distorted memories after 2 years from initial 24 hours reading
5) Christianson & Loftus - emotional arousal had enhanced central event but hampered periphery vision.