chapter1introcogpsych
TRANSCRIPT
Cognitive Psychology, Fourth Edition, Robert J. SternbergChapter 1
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
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
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
Experiments Psychobiological studies Self report Case studies Naturalistic Observation Computer Simulations
Cognitive Psychology, Fourth Edition, Robert J. SternbergChapter 1
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Many different methods are used to study cognition◦ Experiments◦ Individual differences◦ Case studies◦ Clinical studies
Cognitive Psychology, Fourth Edition, Robert J. SternbergChapter 1
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