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Cognitive Psychology, Fourth Edition, Robert J. SternbergChapter 1
Chapter 1: Introduction to Cognitive Psychology
Cognitive Psychology, Fourth Edition, Robert J. SternbergChapter 1
Cognitive Psychology Is…
• The study of how people perceive, learn, remember, and think about information.
Problem Solving
Attention
Memory Decision Making
ReadingLanguage
Cognitive Psychology, Fourth Edition, Robert J. SternbergChapter 1
Dialectic Progression of Ideas: Hegel
Thesis Antithesisflaws/alt idea
Synthesis: best of both
New Thesis flaws/alt idea
Cognitive Psychology, Fourth Edition, Robert J. SternbergChapter 1
RationalistLogic & reasoning is key
Empiricist Experience & observation is key
Philosophical Roots
Cognitive Psychology, Fourth Edition, Robert J. SternbergChapter 1
Rationalism(Descartes)
Empiricism(Locke)
Synthesis:
Both have a role (Kant)
Cognitive Psychology, Fourth Edition, Robert J. SternbergChapter 1
Structuralism(Titchener)
Functionalism(James) led toPragmatists
Synthesis:
Associationism(Ebbinghaus & Thorndike)
Cognitive Psychology, Fourth Edition, Robert J. SternbergChapter 1
Associationism (Thorndike)
Behaviorism(Pavlov)
Synthesis:
Extreme form of Behaviorism took hold.Psychology should study only observable behavior(Watson & Skinner).
Cognitive Psychology, Fourth Edition, Robert J. SternbergChapter 1
BehaviorismDominated until….
Synthesis:
Cognitions should play an active role in psychology (Gestalt, Bandura)
Less radicalBehavioristCognitive Map (Tolman)
Cognitive Psychology, Fourth Edition, Robert J. SternbergChapter 1
Contributions to Cognitive Psychology
• Hebb & Lashley emphasize how cognition could be explained by neuroscience.
• Chompsky’s review of Skinner’s Verbal Behavior: “reductio ad absurdum”
• Development of Computers and Artificial Intelligence
• These developments led to the “cognitive revolution” and increased interest in the study of mental processes (cognitions)
Cognitive Psychology, Fourth Edition, Robert J. SternbergChapter 1
Cognitive Methods
• Experiments
• Psychobiological studies
• Self report
• Case studies
• Naturalistic Observation
• Computer Simulations
Cognitive Psychology, Fourth Edition, Robert J. SternbergChapter 1
In an Experiment…
• Random sample of participants
• Manipulate the Independent Variable– Create experimental group
– Create control group
– Randomly assign participants
• Measure the Dependent Variable– Same for all groups
• Control all other variables– Prevent confounds
Cognitive Psychology, Fourth Edition, Robert J. SternbergChapter 1
Typical Independent Variables
•Manipulate stimulus materials– Compare words to non-words
– Compare color diagrams to black and white
– Compare Yes questions to No questions
•Control how participants process materials– Use imagery to study versus repetition
– Vary speed of presentation of materials
Cognitive Psychology, Fourth Edition, Robert J. SternbergChapter 1
Typical Dependent Variables
•Reaction Time (milliseconds)– Mental events take time
•Accuracy/Error analysis – How well the participant does on a task
Cognitive Psychology, Fourth Edition, Robert J. SternbergChapter 1
Psychobiological Studies
• Postmortem studies– Examine the cortex of dyslexics after death
• Brain damaged individuals and their deficits– Study amnesiacs with hippocampus damage
• Monitor a participant doing a cognitive task– Measure brain activity while a participant is
reciting a poem
Cognitive Psychology, Fourth Edition, Robert J. SternbergChapter 1
Self Report Studies
• Verbal Protocol– Participants describe their conscious
thoughts while solving a story problem
• Diary Study– Participants keep track of memory failures
• Naturalistic Observation– Monitor decision making of pilots during
flights
Cognitive Psychology, Fourth Edition, Robert J. SternbergChapter 1
Case Studies
• Intensive studies of individuals– May examine archival records,
interviews, direct observation, or participant-observations • Creativity of successful individuals
• The deficits of a neglected child
Cognitive Psychology, Fourth Edition, Robert J. SternbergChapter 1
Computers in Research
• Analogy for human Cognition– The sequence of symbol
manipulation that underlies thinking
– The goal: discovery of the programs in humans’ memory
• Computer simulations of Artificial Intelligence
– Recreate human processes using computers
Cognitive Psychology, Fourth Edition, Robert J. SternbergChapter 1
Underlying Themes
• Nature vs. Nurture
• Rationalism vs. Empiricism
• Structures vs. Processes
• Domain Generality vs. Domain Specificity
• Causal Inferences vs. Ecological validity
• Applied vs. Basic Research
• Biological vs. Behavioral Methods
Cognitive Psychology, Fourth Edition, Robert J. SternbergChapter 1
Key Ideas in Cognitive…
Theory
Data
Data can only be fully explained with theories, and theories are insufficient without data – thus creating the cycle of science.
Cognitive Psychology, Fourth Edition, Robert J. SternbergChapter 1
Key Ideas in Cognitive…
• Cognition is typically adaptive, but errors made can be informative.– Example- Spoonerisms:
• A lack of pies (A pack of lies) • It's roaring with pain (It's pouring with rain)
– Errors can be used to infer how speech production occurs.
Cognitive Psychology, Fourth Edition, Robert J. SternbergChapter 1
Key Ideas in Cognitive…
• Cognitive processes interact with each other and with non-cognitive processes– Emotions may affect decisions
– Working memory capacity contributes to reading speed
– Perception contributes to memory decisions
Cognitive Psychology, Fourth Edition, Robert J. SternbergChapter 1
Key Ideas in Cognitive…
• Many different methods are used to study cognition– Experiments
– Individual differences
– Case studies
– Clinical studies
Cognitive Psychology, Fourth Edition, Robert J. SternbergChapter 1
Key Ideas in Cognitive…
• Basic research often leads to important applications and applied research often contributes to a more basic understanding of cognition– Priming is explained by spreading activation
in memory, and can also explain why skilled readers may read faster
– Studying the common errors that 1st graders make in math class can help us to better understand how humans process mathematical information
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