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