This lesson introduces cognitivism as an approach to understanding the mind, explains how it differed from behaviorism, and explores cognitive development and attention.
Cognitivism is a theoretical framework for understanding the mind that gained prominence in the 1950s. Cognitive psychology takes its name from the Latin cognoscere, meaning to know. It studies how people acquire, process, organize, store, and use information.
All flashcards
What is cognitivism?
A framework for understanding the mind by studying mental processes such as acquiring, processing, organizing, storing, and using information.
How did cognitivism respond to behaviorism?
Cognitivists argued that behaviorism did not adequately explain cognition. They treated mental processes as important subjects of study rather than reducing thought to behavior.
What is cognitive development?
The process of assimilating knowledge and expanding intellectual abilities through experience and learning.
What are the three zones in one description of attention?
Focus, the margin around the focus, and information beyond awareness.
How do mental and perceptual attention differ?
Mental attention is executive-driven and directed toward task-relevant processes. Perceptual attention is immediate or spontaneous attention prompted by a novel perceptual experience.
Quiz questions
In cognitive learning theory, what is a schema?Answer: An organized mental structure used to interpret and connect knowledge.
In cognitive theory, what does forgetting refer to?Answer: An inability to retrieve information from memory.
What does transfer of learning involve?Answer: Applying learned knowledge in a different context or condition.
What does the methodological component of cognitivism propose?Answer: Psychology can, in principle, be studied using the scientific method.
How does cognitive feedback differ from behaviorist feedback?Answer: It guides learners toward accurate mental connections rather than primarily reinforcing behavior.