Cognitive psychology
Area within psychology which examines how we acquire, store, transform and use knowledge, part of
cognitive science .
History part
Aristotle examined topics such as perception, memory, and mental imagery. Humans acquire
knowledge through experience and observation. Aristotle emphasized the importance of
empirical evidence. Can be called The first cognitive psychologist.
1868 Donder (dutch ‘physiologist’) - reaction time experiment (how long it takes for
someone to make a decision) - pt 1 of exp - press button when you see light (simple reaction
time). Pt 2 of exp - 2 lights, left and right. Push button no. 1 when left is illuminated, and
button no. 2 when right is illuminated (choice reaction time). Difference between the two time
= time take to make decision.
Helmholtz (1860-80) - Theory of unconscious inference - some of our perceptions are the
result of unconscious assumptions that we make about the environment. likelihood principle -
we perceive the object that is most likely to have caused the pattern of stimuli we have
received.
Wilhelm wundt - founder of psychology. 1879 - first laboratory of scientific psychology at
the University of Leipzig in Germany. - analytic Introspection, periodic table of mind
(included all of the basic sensations involved in creating experienc), sensations (combining
basic elements of experience). Stimulus error.
Hermann Ebbinghaus (1850–1909)- first person to scientifically study human memory.
Nature of memory and forgetting. Used a ‘memory drum’ with nonsense syllables for
experiments. Savings method/saving score, savings curve, forgetting curve (The forgetting
curve is a mathematical formula that describes the rate at which something is forgotten after it
is initially learned). 1885 - NSS/CVS experiment.
Origins
Mary Whiton Calkins (1863–1930) - recency effect. First woman president of APA
William James (1842–1910) - wrote Principles of psychology (1890).
John B Watson (1878-1958) - prominent in the 1st half of 20th century. Watson and
rayner’s little albert experiment (1920). Ian Pavlov’s classical conditioning (1890s). B.F.
Skinner’s operant conditioning (1938)
Gestalt approach - strongly objected to Wundt’s introspective technique of analyzing
experiences into separate components. Criticised structuralism (wundt’s) and behaviourism
(watson’s). Focused on Insight in problem solving.
Fredric Bartlett (1886-1969) - wrote remembering: an experimental and social study
(1932). Rejected Ebbinghaus’ research, instead used meaningful materials like long stories
for experiments. People made systematic errors in recall. Human memory is an active
constructive process in which we interpret and transform information. We look for meaning
and try to integrate new information so it is more consistent with our own personal
experiences. The concept of schema was advanced by Frederic Bartlett to provide the basis
for a alternative to traditional spatial storage theories of memory. Bartlett took remembering
out of the head and situated it at the enfolding relation between organism and environment.
Cognitive revolution
The cognitive revolution was an intellectual movement that began in the 1950s as an
interdisciplinary study of the mind and its processes. It later became known collectively as cognitive
science.A key goal of early cognitive psychology was to apply the scientific method to the study of
human cognition.
Many of the top cognitive psychologists are also computer scientists, Herbert Alexander Simon -
General problem solver. Computers basically utilise AI, which mimics the human brain as much as
possible. Cognitive psychology emerged in the 1950’s during the so called “cognitive revolution”,
borrowing von Neumann's idea of the stored program technique as a model for explaining human
, cognition. This formed the basis of many concepts in cognitive psychology such as Atkinson and
Shiffrin's (1968) modal model and Broadbent's (1958) concept of attention.
cognitive psychology has also influenced the field of AI. For example artificial neural nets in AI
attempts to mimic the structural organisation of neurons in the brain, and has become a pillar of
machine learning. The two fields share common elements such as schema-scripts; and neurons-
parallel distributed processing. Brain and Computers are also cybernetic systems.
Cognitive science has a lot of links to computer science. On a very high level cognitive science is
about studying general characteristics of information processing systems including, e.g., digital
computers and human minds. Thus, it is usual that a basic curriculum in cognitive science includes
courses such as algorithms / data structures, traditional AI (GOFAI), neural networks, etc. that can be
found in computer science curricula as well. Besides that, cognitive science and computer science
have a lot of shared background in the area of artificial intelligence (AI).
AI, Pure AI
The artificial intelligence approach has been applied to several different areas within cognitive
psychology, including perception, memory, imagery, thinking, and problem solving. Pure AI is
described as building machines that have equal or superior intellectual abilities than humans who
created them and are indistinguishable from humans. Pure AI is believed to be able to learn, predict
and adapt to situations on its own.
Spatial resolution refers to the size of one pixel on the ground. For example 15 meters means that one
pixel on the image corresponds to a square of 15 by 15 meters on the ground. Temporal resolution
refers to how often data of the same area is collected.
Information processing model: atkinson and shiffrin model
Richard Atkinson and Richard Shiffrin (1968)
Our mental processes are similar to the operations of a computer.
information progresses through our cognitive system in a series of stages, one step at
a time.
memory involves a sequence of separate steps; in each step,information is transferred from
one storage area to another
Types of memories according to A&S model -
1. Sensory memory - storage system that records information from senses. Info
stored for 2 secs or less, then it is forgotten.
2. Short term memory/ working memory - holds small amounts of info that we are
actively using. Fragile memories - stored for 30 sec then forgotten.
3. Long term memory - large capacity of memories. Relatively permanent.
Process of memory storage - Sensory Memory → STM → LTM
The term working memory is often used interchangeably with short-term memory, although
technically working memory refers more to the whole theoretical framework of structures and
processes used for the temporary storage and manipulation of information, of which short-term
memory is just one component.
Unit 1
cognitive neurosciences techniques
Brain lesion studies
PET scans - Positron Emission Tomograph. Low dosing of radioactive chemical that enters
blood and shows in pet scans in areas of brain most active.
FMRI - functional magnetic resonance imaging. Large donut magnet makes changes in
oxygen atoms, which are captured by an fmri scan
Area within psychology which examines how we acquire, store, transform and use knowledge, part of
cognitive science .
History part
Aristotle examined topics such as perception, memory, and mental imagery. Humans acquire
knowledge through experience and observation. Aristotle emphasized the importance of
empirical evidence. Can be called The first cognitive psychologist.
1868 Donder (dutch ‘physiologist’) - reaction time experiment (how long it takes for
someone to make a decision) - pt 1 of exp - press button when you see light (simple reaction
time). Pt 2 of exp - 2 lights, left and right. Push button no. 1 when left is illuminated, and
button no. 2 when right is illuminated (choice reaction time). Difference between the two time
= time take to make decision.
Helmholtz (1860-80) - Theory of unconscious inference - some of our perceptions are the
result of unconscious assumptions that we make about the environment. likelihood principle -
we perceive the object that is most likely to have caused the pattern of stimuli we have
received.
Wilhelm wundt - founder of psychology. 1879 - first laboratory of scientific psychology at
the University of Leipzig in Germany. - analytic Introspection, periodic table of mind
(included all of the basic sensations involved in creating experienc), sensations (combining
basic elements of experience). Stimulus error.
Hermann Ebbinghaus (1850–1909)- first person to scientifically study human memory.
Nature of memory and forgetting. Used a ‘memory drum’ with nonsense syllables for
experiments. Savings method/saving score, savings curve, forgetting curve (The forgetting
curve is a mathematical formula that describes the rate at which something is forgotten after it
is initially learned). 1885 - NSS/CVS experiment.
Origins
Mary Whiton Calkins (1863–1930) - recency effect. First woman president of APA
William James (1842–1910) - wrote Principles of psychology (1890).
John B Watson (1878-1958) - prominent in the 1st half of 20th century. Watson and
rayner’s little albert experiment (1920). Ian Pavlov’s classical conditioning (1890s). B.F.
Skinner’s operant conditioning (1938)
Gestalt approach - strongly objected to Wundt’s introspective technique of analyzing
experiences into separate components. Criticised structuralism (wundt’s) and behaviourism
(watson’s). Focused on Insight in problem solving.
Fredric Bartlett (1886-1969) - wrote remembering: an experimental and social study
(1932). Rejected Ebbinghaus’ research, instead used meaningful materials like long stories
for experiments. People made systematic errors in recall. Human memory is an active
constructive process in which we interpret and transform information. We look for meaning
and try to integrate new information so it is more consistent with our own personal
experiences. The concept of schema was advanced by Frederic Bartlett to provide the basis
for a alternative to traditional spatial storage theories of memory. Bartlett took remembering
out of the head and situated it at the enfolding relation between organism and environment.
Cognitive revolution
The cognitive revolution was an intellectual movement that began in the 1950s as an
interdisciplinary study of the mind and its processes. It later became known collectively as cognitive
science.A key goal of early cognitive psychology was to apply the scientific method to the study of
human cognition.
Many of the top cognitive psychologists are also computer scientists, Herbert Alexander Simon -
General problem solver. Computers basically utilise AI, which mimics the human brain as much as
possible. Cognitive psychology emerged in the 1950’s during the so called “cognitive revolution”,
borrowing von Neumann's idea of the stored program technique as a model for explaining human
, cognition. This formed the basis of many concepts in cognitive psychology such as Atkinson and
Shiffrin's (1968) modal model and Broadbent's (1958) concept of attention.
cognitive psychology has also influenced the field of AI. For example artificial neural nets in AI
attempts to mimic the structural organisation of neurons in the brain, and has become a pillar of
machine learning. The two fields share common elements such as schema-scripts; and neurons-
parallel distributed processing. Brain and Computers are also cybernetic systems.
Cognitive science has a lot of links to computer science. On a very high level cognitive science is
about studying general characteristics of information processing systems including, e.g., digital
computers and human minds. Thus, it is usual that a basic curriculum in cognitive science includes
courses such as algorithms / data structures, traditional AI (GOFAI), neural networks, etc. that can be
found in computer science curricula as well. Besides that, cognitive science and computer science
have a lot of shared background in the area of artificial intelligence (AI).
AI, Pure AI
The artificial intelligence approach has been applied to several different areas within cognitive
psychology, including perception, memory, imagery, thinking, and problem solving. Pure AI is
described as building machines that have equal or superior intellectual abilities than humans who
created them and are indistinguishable from humans. Pure AI is believed to be able to learn, predict
and adapt to situations on its own.
Spatial resolution refers to the size of one pixel on the ground. For example 15 meters means that one
pixel on the image corresponds to a square of 15 by 15 meters on the ground. Temporal resolution
refers to how often data of the same area is collected.
Information processing model: atkinson and shiffrin model
Richard Atkinson and Richard Shiffrin (1968)
Our mental processes are similar to the operations of a computer.
information progresses through our cognitive system in a series of stages, one step at
a time.
memory involves a sequence of separate steps; in each step,information is transferred from
one storage area to another
Types of memories according to A&S model -
1. Sensory memory - storage system that records information from senses. Info
stored for 2 secs or less, then it is forgotten.
2. Short term memory/ working memory - holds small amounts of info that we are
actively using. Fragile memories - stored for 30 sec then forgotten.
3. Long term memory - large capacity of memories. Relatively permanent.
Process of memory storage - Sensory Memory → STM → LTM
The term working memory is often used interchangeably with short-term memory, although
technically working memory refers more to the whole theoretical framework of structures and
processes used for the temporary storage and manipulation of information, of which short-term
memory is just one component.
Unit 1
cognitive neurosciences techniques
Brain lesion studies
PET scans - Positron Emission Tomograph. Low dosing of radioactive chemical that enters
blood and shows in pet scans in areas of brain most active.
FMRI - functional magnetic resonance imaging. Large donut magnet makes changes in
oxygen atoms, which are captured by an fmri scan
