Cognitive Level of Analysis

1. Cognitive Level of Analysis An Introduction

2. What is “cognition”? • The mental act or process by which knowledge is acquired • WHAT DO COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGISTS DO? • Focus on the way humans process information • By looking at how we treat information (or stimuli) • And how this treatment leads to responses • MAIN AREAS OF COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY • Perception • Attention • Memory • Language

3. The principles of cognitive psychology • Mental representations and processes guide behavior • Mental processes can be scientifically investigated • Humans are not passive responders to the environment • We are actively processing information

4. Research methods for cloa • Experiments • Interviews/Verbal Protocols • Observations • Case Studies

5. Definitions • Schemas • Are: • Cognitive frameworks to help us organize and interpret information • Abstract representations of events, objects, and relationships in the real world. • Used to: • Organize Knowledge • Assist recall • Guide behavior • Predict likely happenings • Make sense of current experiences • Schemas • Are helpful • Create shortcuts for handling the large amounts of information in our environment • BUT… • Can lead to stereotypes and prejudice when information doesn’t conform to our ideas about the world • Bobo the doll experiment • How did schema play a part?

6. Definitions con’t. • Scripts • Schemata or abstract cognitive representations of events and social interactions • How to go to dinner • What happens at birthday parties • How to greet someone you don’t know • When our scripts aren’t followed • Frustration • Anger • Disappointment • Confusion

7. Listen with a schema in mind • Listen to the story • Jot down important details based on the schema you are given • Now listen again • Jot down important details based on the new schema • What differences do you see? • In this activity • Schema may inhibit or assist in recall • Affects how memories are encoded • ***Replication of Anderson & Pichert (1978)

8. One More Activity • I need 4 volunteers • As the story was retold: • Leveling • eliminate unnecessary information to simplify • Sharpening • add or exaggerate details • Assimilation of data • change it to fit stereotypes/pre-­existing schema • It is normal, for example, for students to switch the names of the flight attendant and pilot (assimilation), simplify the story to “he had a gun,” and to sharpen the story – that the passengers began beating and kicking him • ****Replication of Bartlett (1932) The War of the Ghosts Story • Want to do the story from the original experiment?

9. Can schema be controlled? • An example - listen carefully

10. Schema Theory • In the real world • How we use our schemas • To summarize: • How do we know that schema exists when we can’t study them empirically? • It is not entirely clear how they are acquired in the first place AND how they influence cognitive processes • Caramazza (2009) • Biological evidence • Information re: living and non-living objects is shuttled to different parts of the brain - triggers appropriate reactions – even in blind people • Assessment on Friday: • Evaluate schema theory with reference to research studies • Study Guide handout - reduce to an index card for support during assessment