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Block 1 Unit 1 Cognitive Psychology

1. How does a layman define intelligence?

Laypeople might define intelligence as alertness, quickness of mind, academic success, occupational status, or eminence in a particular field. These are common, everyday understandings of the term.

2. How did Spearman develop his two-factor theory?

Spearman used intercorrelations between tests of cognitive abilities to find a general factor, "g", and specific factors, "s".

3. How are neuropsychological concepts of Luria incorporated in the PASS theory?

The PASS theory is based on Luria’s three functional units of cognitive processes. These units are:

1. Arousal and attention
2. Simultaneous and successive processing
3. Planning, self-monitoring, and structuring of cognitive activities

4. Describe the major historical schools of psychological thought leading up to the development of cognitive psychology.

Early thoughts on thinking involved a debate between empiricists (knowledge from experience) and nativists (knowledge from innate brain characteristics).

Ancient Egyptians believed knowledge was in the heart, while Plato thought it was in the brain.

• Wilhelm Wundt established the first psychology lab, emphasizing introspection.
• William James developed a well-reasoned model of the mind and explored memory.
• Behaviourism focused on stimulus-response (S-R) psychology, rejecting internal mental processes.
• Gestalt psychology emphasized internal representation, focusing on the relationship between representation and reality.
• Edward Tolman's work on cognitive maps in animals anticipated the contemporary focus on how knowledge is represented.

5. Analyse how various research methods in cognitive psychology reflect empirist and rationalist approaches to gaining knowledge.

• Empiricism: Methods like controlled experiments where psychologists observe and collect data reflect the empiricist approach. Data is gathered and analysed to draw conclusions.
• Rationalism: Methods like computer simulations and the development of theories reflect the rationalist approach, where knowledge is gained through logical reasoning and theoretical models rather than direct observation. Qualitative methods can be used to formulate hypotheses
• Both approaches can be used in combination to understand cognitive phenomena

6. Design a rough sketch of a cognitive-psychological investigation involving one of the research methods described in this chapter. Highlight both the advantages and disadvantages of using this particular method for your investigation.

• Method: A controlled experiment.
• Investigation: To examine the effect of background noise on memory recall.
  • Participants: A random sample of adults.
  • Independent Variable: Presence or absence of background noise.
  • Dependent Variable: Number of words correctly recalled from a list.
  • Procedure: Participants study a list of words either in a quiet room or with background noise. Then they are asked to recall the words.
  • Control Variable: The irrelevant variables are held constant, for example, the time available for study and recall.
• Advantages: Can infer probable causality with rigorous control over conditions.
• Disadvantages: May lack ecological validity as it's in an artificial lab setting.

7. Describe Cognitive Psychology as it is today. How might you speculate that the field will change in the next 50 years?

• Cognitive psychology today studies how people perceive, learn, remember, and think about information.
• It draws from multiple areas including cognitive neuroscience, human and artificial intelligence, perception, thinking, pattern recognition, developmental psychology, attention, language, representation of knowledge, imagery, memory and consciousness.
• It uses various research methods such as controlled experiments, psychobiological research, self-reports, case studies, naturalistic observation, and computer simulations.
• Future changes may include more emphasis on neurocognitive imagery, further integration with neuroscience, and an increased understanding of cognitive functions due to technological advancements.

8. How might an insight gained from basic research lead to practical use in an everyday setting?

• Basic research aims to understand fundamental cognitive processes.
• For example, basic research on attention could lead to developing better techniques for multitasking or improving focus in the workplace.

9. Describe some real-life situations related to different domains of cognitive psychology.

• Perception: Recognising a friend's face in a crowd
• Memory: Remembering a phone number or an appointment
• Attention: Focusing on a lecture while ignoring distractions
• Language: Understanding a conversation or writing an email
• Thinking: Solving a crossword puzzle or making a decision
• Consciousness: Being aware of your surroundings and thoughts

10. How might an insight gained from applied research lead to deepened understanding of fundamental features of cognition?

• Applied research focuses on how people use cognition effectively.
• For example, research on how people learn effectively in classrooms might provide a better understanding of memory and cognitive processing in learning.

11. What was the importance of the computer to the development of cognitive psychology?

• The computer provided a metaphor for understanding human cognition. It allowed psychologists to conceptualise the mind as an information processor. This model enabled cognitive psychology to explore human thinking with greater clarity
• The computer also offered a tool for creating simulations to study mental processes.