Cognitive Psychology Course Overview

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Questions and Answers

What was the primary focus of Wilhelm Wundt's approach to psychology?

Combining basic elements of experience (correct)

The influence of the environment on behavior

The study of observable behavior

Cognitive development across the lifespan

What was a significant contribution of John Watson to psychology?

Study of mental representations

Emphasis on introspection

Focus on observable behavior (correct)

Development of cognitive theories

What is the main focus of cognitive psychology?

The biological aspects of behavior

The emotional experiences of individuals

The scientific study of the outer world

The scientific study of the mind (correct)

Which concept is associated with William James' functionalism?

Attention requires withdrawal from other stimuli Signup and view all the answers

What do nativists argue about knowledge?

It is based on innate characteristics of the brain. Signup and view all the answers

What did Tolman's memory experiment primarily demonstrate?

The existence of cognitive maps Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following mental functions is NOT categorized under cognition?

Regulation of emotions Signup and view all the answers

During the cognitive revolution, which technological advancement influenced the study of the mind?

The digital computer Signup and view all the answers

What was the primary objective of Donders's experiment in 1868?

To understand reaction times in decision-making Signup and view all the answers

What was the ultimate goal of cognitive psychology as emphasized by Ulrich Neisser?

To understand the workings of the mind Signup and view all the answers

Which phenomenon did Miller refer to in his work on cognitive psychology?

The capacity of short-term memory Signup and view all the answers

Which research method is associated with the empiricist perspective?

Experiments based on empirical evidence Signup and view all the answers

What did Ebbinghaus's 1885 experiment primarily investigate?

The time course of forgetting Signup and view all the answers

In the context of cognitive psychology, what does constructive processing refer to?

The active shaping of memories and perceptions Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'cognition' encompass?

Mental processes such as thinking and reasoning Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements best represents the empiricist viewpoint?

Knowledge is gained from experiences and observations. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Cognitive Psychology Course Information

Course title: Cognitive Psychology
Instructor: Dr. Itır Kaşıkçı
Course code: PSY 3005
Academic year: 2024-25 Fall
University: BAU (Bahçeşehir University)
Office: C 215
Email: [email protected]
Office hours: Mondays 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM, Tuesdays 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Course type: Hybrid
Credits: 3/6 ECTS
Classroom: D303/B301
Itslearning page: Essential for announcements and communication

Introduction to Cognitive Psychology

Focuses on understanding how we acquire information and how we use that information.
Key aspects to think about include: getting information, emotions, what needs to be done with the information

Cognitive Psychology Definition & Focus

Cognitive psychology is the study of the mind scientifically.
Explores how the mind processes information.

Studying the Mind (Core Concepts)

What is the mind? A system that creates mental representations of the world, enabling interactions and goal achievement.
Cognition: Mental processes that support interactions and goal achievement (e.g., perception, attention, memory, language, decision-making, reasoning).
Cognitive neuroscience: Emphasizes the connection between cognitive processes and brain activity.
Human and artificial intelligence: Explore concepts like thinking, judgment, and problem solving in cognitive processes.

How Knowledge is Represented in the Mind

Empiricism vs Nativism: Empiricism argues knowledge comes from experience, whereas nativism believes knowledge is innate.
Empiricism vs Rationalism: Empiricism suggests knowledge is acquired through experience and observation, while rationalism suggests knowledge is gained through logical thought and inference

Studying the Mind: Early Work - Key Experiments

Donders (1868): Pioneered reaction time experiments to study mental processes.
Ebbinghaus (1885): Conducted experiments on memory, including the "savings curve" demonstrating memory loss over time.
Bartlett (1932): Showed the importance of schemas and background knowledge in memory.

Studying the Mind: Introspection and Behaviorism

Wundt (1879): Founder of structuralism, focusing on breaking down conscious experience into basic elements.
William James (1890): Key figure in functionalism, focusing on the function of the mind in adapting to the environment.
Watson (1913): Championed behaviorism, eliminating the focus on consciousness.
Skinner: Proponent of operant conditioning focusing on observable behavior and environmental cues.

The Re-emergence of the Mind in Psychology

Tolman (1918): Demonstrated that animals (rats in his experiments) have mental representations of their environment. Introduced the concept of cognitive maps.
Chomsky vs Skinner: Debate on language acquisition mechanisms, with Skinner advocating behavioral views and Chomsky suggesting an innate language faculty.

The Rebirth of the Study of the Mind

Information-processing approach: Describes mental processes as a series of stages (input, processing, storage, output) reflecting the digital information processing in computers.
Miller (1956): Explored the capacity of working memory limitations.

The Cognitive Revolution

Neisser (1967): His book emphasized the information-processing approach to studying the mind.

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Description

This quiz covers the fundamentals of Cognitive Psychology, focusing on how we acquire and process information. It explores key concepts such as the definition of the mind and its role in creating mental representations. Ideal for students looking to deepen their understanding of cognitive processes.