Cognitive Psychology: Revision Kevin Paterson

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Cognitive PsychologyRevisionKevin Paterson
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Introduction

• Topics
• The exam
• Writing an exam answer
• Perception
• Memory
• Attention
• Language
• Reasoning problem-solving
• Human Error

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The exam

• 2 hour exam
• Choice of 6 questions
• You answer 2 questions
• Answer is in essay form
• Advised to give 2 answers as its difficult to
  pass otherwise
• Overall module mark is average of coursework and
  exam.

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Answering exam questions

• Take time to read understand the question.
• Write a plan
• Your thesis statement
• The arguments you will make
• The supporting evidence

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Answering exam questions

• Think about the answer in 3 sections.
• Introduction
• Briefly outline your understanding of the topic
  and the question
• Give your thesis statement
• Summarise the arguments you will make
• Summarise your conclusion

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Answering exam questions

• Main body
• Consider each of your arguments in turn
• Provide relevant supporting evidence
• Conclusion
• Summarise your argument
• Reach a clear conclusion (i.e. not simply that
  more work must be done!).

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Writing in 3s

• This is a useful technique
• 1. State your argument.
• Psychologists have shown that . . .
• 2. Elaborate on your argument.
• That is to say . . .
• 3. Give an example that illustrates your point
• For instance, Smith (2003) found that . . .

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Perception

• Important topics
• Bottom-up versus top-down processes
• Direct (e.g. Marr) versus constructivist (e.g.
  Gregory
• Ecological approach (Gibson)
• The use of visual illusions

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Memory

• Important topics
• Laboratory versus ecological studies
• Evidence for difference types of memory
• STM versus LTM
• Different types of STM?
• Different types of STM?

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Attention

• Important topics
• Theories of selective attention
• Broadbents early filter account
• Triesmans attenuation theory
• Deutsch Deutsch no filter theory
• Methods of studying selective attention
• What factors affect divided attention?
• Conscious / automatic processes

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Speech comprehension

• Important topics
• Top-down versus bottom-up processes
• Phoneme restoration effect (Warren, legilature)
• TRACE theory of speech comprehension
• Segmentation errors

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Reading

• Important topics
• Top-down versus bottom-up processes
• Context effects on letter recognition
• IAM model of reading
• Role of phonology in reading (pseudohomophone,
  homophone effects)

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Problem-solving

• Important topics
• Usefulness of the Gestalt approach
• Use of heuristics in reasoning
• Comparison of Gestalt and information-processing
  approaches

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Reasoning

• Important topics
• Are people logical?
• Conditional reasoning
• Modus ponens and modus tollens
• Mental models approach to conditional reasoning.

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Human Error

• Integrates coverage of other topics.
• How might our cognitive limitations be a source
  of error?
• How does Cognitive Psychology contribute to our
  understanding of human error?
• How might human error or its consequences be
  reduced?

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Summary

• Think about the question, plan your answer,
  structure it carefully, make your points clearly.
• Revise topics in depth, cover topics from lecture
  but also read broadly.