lOMoARcPSD|11448692
Cognitive Area
This area of psychology has developed rapidly over the last century and concerns the investigation of our internal
mental processes such as memory, thinking and reasoning that precedes observable behaviour. Researchers use
experimental methods to infer thoughts by recording individual’s behaviour in cognitive tasks such as memory recall.
Further to this, the area considers the mind as mechanical and suggests that we process information like a computer
and behaviour is therefore highly predictable.
1. Principles and Concepts:
1. Internal mental processes such as memory, thinking, reasoning, problem-solving and language, are
important features influencing human behaviour
2. Mind as mechanistic, suggesting that we process information like a computer and behaviour is therefore
highly predictable
3. Input Process Output
4. Therapies attempt to address faulty thinking
2. Research to Illustrate the Area:
Loftus and Palmer (eyewitness testimony) - Shows that the brain is like a computer, as we see something, which is
the input, we are asked about it where we have to recover the memory, which is the process, them the output was the
speed people thought they were travelling.
Grant (dependent memory) - Shows that if information is recalled in a similar context to where it was encountered,
memory can be enhanced, showing that internal mental processes and memory depend on where they were recalled,
and can be enhanced if they are in similar situations.
Moray (auditory attention) - Shows what kind of information can break the attention barrier and that hearing one’s
name is able to break the attention barrier because you pay more attention, showing the inattentional input can cause
an output of now paying attention after hearing your name.
Simons and Chabris (visual attention) - Looks at visual attention and sees how we may not recall information that we
paid attention to but also how we may not notice something, even if it is clear, because we are not expecting it,
therefore we are less likely to notice it if it is unexpected.
Baron Cohen (autism in adults) - Shows how our behaviour can be influenced by theory of mind. Having a theory of
mind enables a person to appreciate that other people have thoughts and beliefs that are different from their own,
which may not develop properly in an individual who has Autism or Asperger’s Syndrome.
Hancock (language in psychopaths) - Shows how language can differ when a person has a different way of thinking.
Our mind is like a computer but there can be faults which means that someone may have a faulty thinking pattern,
making them a psychopath.
Kohlberg (moral development) - It shows how moral thinking can evolve as people age and shows there is cognitive
development that occurs when people grow up, meaning they have better input, process, output stages as they grow
up.
Lee (evaluation of lying and truth telling) - Proved how moral thinking does not change with culture, showing that all
humans have similar internal mental processes and how everyone processes information like a computer, showing
that everyone is able to ‘change’ the truth, potentially caused by a ‘faulty’ thinking process.
Cognitive Area
This area of psychology has developed rapidly over the last century and concerns the investigation of our internal
mental processes such as memory, thinking and reasoning that precedes observable behaviour. Researchers use
experimental methods to infer thoughts by recording individual’s behaviour in cognitive tasks such as memory recall.
Further to this, the area considers the mind as mechanical and suggests that we process information like a computer
and behaviour is therefore highly predictable.
1. Principles and Concepts:
1. Internal mental processes such as memory, thinking, reasoning, problem-solving and language, are
important features influencing human behaviour
2. Mind as mechanistic, suggesting that we process information like a computer and behaviour is therefore
highly predictable
3. Input Process Output
4. Therapies attempt to address faulty thinking
2. Research to Illustrate the Area:
Loftus and Palmer (eyewitness testimony) - Shows that the brain is like a computer, as we see something, which is
the input, we are asked about it where we have to recover the memory, which is the process, them the output was the
speed people thought they were travelling.
Grant (dependent memory) - Shows that if information is recalled in a similar context to where it was encountered,
memory can be enhanced, showing that internal mental processes and memory depend on where they were recalled,
and can be enhanced if they are in similar situations.
Moray (auditory attention) - Shows what kind of information can break the attention barrier and that hearing one’s
name is able to break the attention barrier because you pay more attention, showing the inattentional input can cause
an output of now paying attention after hearing your name.
Simons and Chabris (visual attention) - Looks at visual attention and sees how we may not recall information that we
paid attention to but also how we may not notice something, even if it is clear, because we are not expecting it,
therefore we are less likely to notice it if it is unexpected.
Baron Cohen (autism in adults) - Shows how our behaviour can be influenced by theory of mind. Having a theory of
mind enables a person to appreciate that other people have thoughts and beliefs that are different from their own,
which may not develop properly in an individual who has Autism or Asperger’s Syndrome.
Hancock (language in psychopaths) - Shows how language can differ when a person has a different way of thinking.
Our mind is like a computer but there can be faults which means that someone may have a faulty thinking pattern,
making them a psychopath.
Kohlberg (moral development) - It shows how moral thinking can evolve as people age and shows there is cognitive
development that occurs when people grow up, meaning they have better input, process, output stages as they grow
up.
Lee (evaluation of lying and truth telling) - Proved how moral thinking does not change with culture, showing that all
humans have similar internal mental processes and how everyone processes information like a computer, showing
that everyone is able to ‘change’ the truth, potentially caused by a ‘faulty’ thinking process.
