Results: Participants who doodled recalled significantly more names than those who did not doodle.
Cognitive Approach
Psychology Notes
A Level/AS Level/O Level
Cognitive Approach
The Cognitive Approach: How We Think Shapes How We Behave
The cognitive approach in psychology believes that our thoughts, beliefs, and memories play a huge role in how we act. Imagine your brain as a super-powerful computer that processes information all the time. This approach focuses on understanding how we:
1. Receive information:
Think about how you learn new things. Maybe you read a book, listen to a lecture, or watch a video. This is how we take in information from the world.
2. Process information:
Our brains don't just store information passively. We interpret, analyze, and organize what we take in. This is like your computer running a program to understand the data you've downloaded.
3. Respond to information:
Based on how we process information, we make decisions and take actions. This is like your computer responding to a command you give it.
Real-World Example: Think about how you decide what to eat for dinner. You might remember what you had last night, consider what's healthy, and factor in your hunger level. All these mental processes influence your final choice.
Here's how the cognitive approach can explain the study result you mentioned:
- Doodling as a distraction: Doodling might act as a distraction from the boring task of memorizing names, allowing participants to focus their attention on the task at hand.
- Working memory: Doodling could help improve the working memory, which is responsible for holding information temporarily while you process it. This means the names are kept "fresh" in their minds longer.
- Cognitive load: Doodling could reduce the cognitive load (how much mental effort is needed), freeing up more mental resources for the memory task.
Key Concepts of the Cognitive Approach:
- Schemas: Our brains aren't blank slates. We carry mental frameworks called schemas that help us organize information. For example, your schema for "school" might include classrooms, teachers, and students. These schemas influence how we perceive and react to the world.
- Cognitive biases: These are systematic errors in our thinking that can lead us to make illogical judgments. For example, the confirmation bias makes us notice information that confirms our existing beliefs, while ignoring contradicting evidence.
- Cognitive therapy: This type of therapy helps people change negative thinking patterns to improve their mental health.
Benefits of the Cognitive Approach:
- Focus on internal processes: It helps us understand how our minds work, giving us insights into human behavior.
- Scientifically testable: Cognitive processes can be studied objectively, leading to more accurate and reliable findings.
- Practical applications: This approach has influenced the development of effective therapies for various conditions like anxiety and depression.
Overall, the cognitive approach emphasizes that our thoughts and how we process information are crucial factors shaping our behaviors, emotions, and overall well-being.
Bonus Notes
Psychology Essay Answers: Doodling Effect
1. Cognitive Approach: The doodling effect, where doodling during a lecture improves recall, supports the idea of working memory limitations. Doodling engages the visuospatial sketchpad, freeing up the phonological loop for auditory information. This suggests working memory is limited and tasks requiring different components can be more effectively processed when separated.
2. Results: To control for confounding variables, researchers could use:
⭐Random assignment: Assign participants to doodle or not randomly, minimizing pre-existing differences.
⭐Matched pairs: Match participants based on attention and prior knowledge, ensuring equal distributions across groups.
⭐Standardized materials: Use the same lecture content and doodling prompts for all participants, reducing variation in information processing.
3. Cognitive Approach: The doodling effect aligns with the working memory model by showing how engaging visuospatial processing can free up resources for other cognitive functions. It challenges the idea that multitasking is always detrimental. The dual-coding theory suggests that doodling activates multiple representations (visual and verbal) which may enhance encoding and retrieval.
4. Results: Educators can incorporate doodling or similar activities like drawing diagrams, mind mapping, or taking notes in different colors. These activities engage both visual and auditory pathways, supporting information processing and recall. The key is to provide structured activities that facilitate active learning rather than distracting doodling.
5. Cognitive Approach: An alternative explanation is that doodling, like other forms of active engagement, increases arousal and attention. This heightened focus may improve encoding and retrieval, not because of working memory capacity, but due to a more attentive state during learning.