University:
Eastern Kentucky University
Course:
PHY 317 | Cognitive Psychology
Academic year:

2021
Views:

401

Pages:

2
Author:

Alma Stephenson

Cognitive Psychology Notes Module 1: Introduction to Cognitive Psychology Introduction to Cognitive Psychology  Definition: The scientific study of the mind, focusing on understanding, processing, and acting on information.  Key Concepts: o Top-down processing: Perceptions are influenced by expectations and previous knowledge. History of Cognitive Psychology  19th Century: o Wilhelm Wundt: Established the first psychology lab; used reaction time experiments to study mental processes. o Edward Titchener: Developed structuralism; used introspection (describing thoughts/experiences). Difficult to test objectively. o William James: Introduced functionalism, focusing on how mental processes help adaptation. Distinguished between short-term and long-term memory.  Early 20th Century: o John Watson: Founded behaviorism, focusing on observable behavior (ignored mental processes). Famous for the Little Albert experiment. o BF Skinner: Pioneered operant conditioning, showing how behavior changes due to rewards.  Cognitive Revolution: o Shifted focus back to studying the mind. o Influenced by critiques of behaviorism (e.g., Noam Chomsky on language learning). o Key contributions from memory research (George Miller) and attention studies (Broadbent’s model). Research Methods  Scientific Methods: o Aim to identify cause-and-effect by manipulating variables under controlled conditions.  Ecological Validity: o Ensuring lab results are applicable to real-world scenarios.  Experimental Cognitive Psychology: o Lab studies focus on accuracy or reaction time to understand cognitive processes. o Challenges: Complexity, indirect measures, and ecological validity concerns. Cognitive Neuroscience  Goal: Understand where and when specific brain processes happen.  Techniques: o ERPs, TMS, fMRI: Measure brain activity, showing associations but not direct evidence.  Issues: Complexity and limited applicability to certain brain functions. Cognitive Neuropsychology  Focus: Studying brain-damaged patients to learn about how different parts of the brain contribute to cognitive functions.  Challenges: Individual differences, interconnected brain processes, and compensatory strategies. Computational Cognitive Neuroscience 2 Cognitive Psychology Notes Objective: Using computer models to simulate cognitive processes (e.g., reading, language learning).  Issues: Complexity, difficult to test, influenced by programming choices. Combining Approaches  Using multiple methods provides stronger evidence.  Conflicting results suggest the need for more research. Replication Crisis  Problems: o Questionable Research Practices (QRPs): Poor methods can affect reliability. o Publication Bias: Preference for positive results, often ignoring failed studies.  Solutions: o Open Science: Sharing data, methods, and analysis plans. o Pre-registration: Setting hypotheses and methods before data collection. 