Verified Document

Cognitive Psychology The Term Psychology Can Be Essay

Cognitive Psychology The term Psychology can be described as the science of behavior as well as mental processes. The immediate goal for it is to understand individuals as well as groups by researching specific cases and established general principle. Cognitive psychology can be said to be sub-discipline of psychology discovering internal mental processes. It is the study of how people remember thinks, solve problem and speak. Previous psychological approaches is different from cognitive psychology in two major ways such as cognitive psychology clearly recognize the presence of internal mental states like desire, belief, ideas and knowledge as well as it allows the application of the scientific method and commonly decline introspection to be a legitimate.

The means of conserving processes of mental has generally pervaded psychology over the few decades that have passed. It is common to get cognitive theories in personality psychology, social psychology, development psychology as well as abnormal psychology. We find that neo-Piagetian theories of cognitive development have wholly incorporated the developmental conception in terms of thought with age of information processing with cognitive models. Cognitive theories application to comparative psychology has taken most of the current studies in animal cognition. Though cognitive psychology touching the constructs that intervene mental presentations is not capable of specifying the non-material counterpart pertaining material object. Cognitive functioning pertaining the approach of information processing is recently being questioned by psychological new approaches, for example embodiment perspective as well as dynamic systems, Anderson, J.R. (1985).

Due to utilization of computational metaphors and terminology, there has been great benefit from cognitive psychology from flourishing of research in artificial intelligence as well as other areas which are related. It developed among the essential aspects of inter-disciplinary matter of cognitive science that tries to incorporate variety of approaches on mental and mind processes research.

Major cognitive theories: Some of the major cognitive theories are: Piaget's cognitive development; John Anderson's ACT-R theory; schema theory.

Piaget's cognitive development

This theory propose that the process of learning is iterative, where information which are new is shaped to fit the existing knowledge of learners, then there is modification of existing knowledge to put up with the new information. Main concept in this process of cognitive are: Accommodation: has taken place when operations or schemes which exist is suppose to be modified to account for an experience that is new. It is a process of modification of the cognitive structures that exist in terms of new information. Assimilation: This always takes place when a child is identifying new events or objects based on operations or schemes that exist. Adults as well as children apply whichever existing mental structures. It is a process involving fitting information which is new into the available cognitive structures. Equilibration: This is the main development process covering accommodation and assimilation. Experience's anomalies establish a state of disequilibrium that is just capable of being resolved if a more sophiscated or more adaptive mode of thought is implemented, Anderson, J.R. (1982).

Anderson's ACT-R Theory

It is a unitary theory of cognition. Its origin is on human associative memory (HAM) theory of human memory. Its ideas have been borrowed from Symbolic framework Newell and Simon. Within ACT-R, the recent objective is used as a filter to select productions which are relevant. We have two long-term memory stores: a procedural and a declarative memory. In declarative memory, we have knowledge for example facts and goals, which is symbolized by chunks. Within the level of symbolic, there is structuring of chunks as a semantic network. Whereas, the knowledge within the procedural memory is signified as a production rule in terms of condition action pairs where the control flow passes from a production to the next in any case the action of a given production establishes the circumstance required in order for another production to happen. From this production system the basis for a unitary theory of cognition is being provided. The chosen production as well as the recent goals is going to influence together the information retrieval through their link to declarative memory. Then the contents of retrieved nodes are applied in the updating of the recent aim as per the action specification production. Goal structure which are hierarchically organized are utilized in the representation of plans of action, as well as be in charge of the course of cognitive processing, Anderson, J.R. (1983).

Schema Theory

As per Barlett, there is assimilation of stories to pre-stored schemata in term of earlier experience....

Some scholars define schema as a data structure for symbolizing the concept of generic stored in memory. Among the major subjects that are interesting to the cognitive psychologists is mental structure. As per the theory of schema, the stored knowledge in memory is systematized as a set of mental or schemata representation, every one of them integrate every knowledge of a particular event or object that have been got from prior experience. This theory gives an account towards the structure of the knowledge and put emphasis to the fact that whatever one remembers is facilitated through what we know already. Both encoding as well as retrieval is being facilitated. In addition, the mental structures tend to be active. Reconstruction of memory is capable to be done by integration of recent experience with earlier knowledge, Anderson, J.R. (1996).
Theoretical Perspectives of personality

The analytical

It has strength like being polite though reserved, fact -- and task oriented, as well as logical. The focus of this person is based on perfection and precision. It also entails diligence, persistence, systematic and caution. It has weaknesses like boring, reclusive, quiet, withdrawn and sullen in some occasions. In any case an individual seems indecisive, due to requirement to asses every data. Perfectionism is capable of being, this person. Such individual is certainly not a risk manager. There is need that analytical be right and will never have ideas in discussion up to the time it is confident in a decision. Ones pleasure is accurate as well as there should be wrong and criticized.

Amiable perspective

Strengths are consistence, devoted, loyal and dependable. Amiable refers to a hard worker who perseveres prior to giving up by others. It is a team player, easy to get and cooperative, good listener, sensitive and trustful. It involves group work with cooperative individuals; it attempts to keep away from confrontation. One enjoys company if environment is stable and many a times, has effect of stabilizing on others. The weaknesses entail inability to take risks and indecision. It is much focused on others, passive, quiet and conforming. Most of the time they do not speak to themselves; they are very nice and compliant and always painstakingly not fast in making decision.

The driver

The Driver has the strength of being high achiever; a shaker and a mover who is automatically not averse to risk. One is strong willed, extroverted, decisive, organized, direct, forceful and practical. An individual is always a task rather than relationship oriented and needs results instantly. The weakness of Driver is that the individual is never interested with the way anything is being done, other than what is being done, and whatever outcome which might be expected. One might be domineering, stubborn, impatient, short tempered and insensitive, having less time for necessities or formalities. Some other ones could be opinionated, demanding, uncompromising, harsh, cold and controlling. The pleasure of drivers is control, respect and power. Ones pain is loss of respect, not having respect.

The Expressive

The strength of the Expressive which is a verbally debt personality, is accommodating, engaging, persuasive, supportive of others, relationship-rather than task-oriented and socially adept. An individual has the habit of loving to be among the gang, and is often prepared for anything which is new and exciting more so if the gang is prepared to take part. There is also diplomatic skills enthusiasm plus the capability of inspiring others. The weaknesses of Express entails verbal assaults, something irritational behavior, tendency to generalize and impatient.

Group dynamic

Definition of a group can be explained that it is two or more persons that are link to one another through social relationship. Groups interact, influence one another as well as share a common identity. This group posses many emergent qualities which separate them from aggregates: Norms; these are clear rules plus expectations in order for the members of the group to follow, like saying thank you. Roles: clear rules as well as expectations for a given member in the group, for example the oldest sibling, who might have extra responsibilities in the family. Relations: It is linking patterns within the group as well as differences in prestige or status like popular people such as leaders.

Groups which are not permanent as well as aggregate share none or few of such features, and they don't satisfy to be a true social group, for example people waiting for bus. There is much importance to a group not just for the reason of providing resources, feeling of belonging and social support, but due to the fact that they complement self-concept of an individual. Widely, individuals define themselves using the group memberships that make their social identity. The individual social…

Sources used in this document:
Work cited

Anderson, J.R. (1982). Acquisition of cognitive skill. Psychological Review, 98 (4), p. 369-406.

Anderson, J.R. (1983). The architecture of cognition. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

Anderson, J.R. (1985). Cognitive psychology and its implications. 2nd Ed. New York: Freeman.

Anderson, J.R. (1996). ACT: A simple theory of complex cognition. American Psychologist, 51 (4), 355-365.
Cite this Document:
Copy Bibliography Citation

Related Documents

Cognitive Psychology Borrows Heavily From the Works
Words: 928 Length: 3 Document Type: Essay

Cognitive Psychology borrows heavily from the works of Alfred Adler, Albert Ellis, and Aaron Beck. In fact, it is founded on Alfred Adler's Individual Psychology. Freud had insisted that sexual impulses were the chief factor in formation of normal and neurotic personality something that made him part ways with Adler who went ahead and formed a new approach that became the basis for all cognitive psychologies. Behaviorism formed the basis of

Cognitive Psychology: Emotions and Cognition
Words: 755 Length: 2 Document Type: Essay

There are also instances where the cognition comes in first before emotional response though the two often happen in tandem. For instance, one gets into a coffee shop and sees another person munching a chocolate cake. H recognizes that as a health risk and processes the various risks an associated with eating it, but still goes ahead to ask for a small piece just to taste. The cognition came in

Cognitive Psychology Is Stated to
Words: 888 Length: 3 Document Type: Research Paper

If you fail to reproduce my findings, it is not due to some fault in your apparatus or in the control of your stimulus, but it is due to the fact that your introspection is untrained." (1878-1958) IV. Functionalism Structuralism resulted in a reaction that became known as Functionalism which was influenced greatly by the work of William James and the theory of Charles Darwin. Functionalism had as its emphasis intelligence

Cognitive Psychology Cognitive Therapy Psychology Is a
Words: 728 Length: 2 Document Type: Term Paper

Cognitive Psychology Cognitive therapy psychology is a proven, effective theoretical psychological approach. Its focus on guided self-improvement and underlying assumption that individuals are capable of change fits well with my personal belief system. Identifying and changing negative thoughts and perceptions, and changing underlying behaviors can all be useful techniques in treating a depressive patient using cognitive therapy. Cognitive theory is based on the idea that previous experiences and perceptions can affect and

Cognitive Psychology Comparison of Freud,
Words: 661 Length: 2 Document Type: Term Paper

However, just like Maslow, Rogers is just as interested in describing the healthy person. Positive regard is self-esteem, self-worth, and a positive self-image which are achieved through experiencing the positive regard that others show us over our years of growing up; without this, we feel small and helpless. Under Roger's theory, this "small" and "helplessness" is exactly what John is feeling, most likely as a result of the manner

Cognitive Psychology
Words: 957 Length: 3 Document Type: Term Paper

Perception Cognitive Psychology Perception and attention questions Q1.Explain the relationship between perception and attention. Provide specific examples in your explanation. Attention is defined as the "selection of information for specialized processing usually in the context of some goal or task" (Attention lecture, n.d., PSY 394). It is impossible to focus on everything within our sensory field; we must be selective, either consciously or unconsciously. Perception can be defined as "the active process of

Sign Up for Unlimited Study Help

Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.

Get Started Now