Introduction to Cognitive Psychology

INTRODUCTION TO COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY

Prof. Dr. Bettina Olk
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Introduction to Cognitive Psychology

Introduction to Cog. Psych.

Bettina Olk b.olk@jacobs-university.de Teaching assistant: Lieze Mappin l.mappin@jacobs-university.de

Introduction to Cognitive Psychology

TODAYS TOPICS
What is Cognitive Psychology? Your expectations Topics of the course; syllabus Grading components; my expectations Areas of Psychology A short history of cognitive research
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Introduction to Cognitive Psychology

TODAYS TOPICS
What is Cognitive Psychology? Your expectations Topics of the course; syllabus Grading components; my expectations Areas of Psychology A short history of cognitive research
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Introduction to Cognitive Psychology

TODAYS TOPICS
What is Cognitive Psychology? Your expectations Topics of the course; syllabus Grading components; my expectations Areas of Psychology A short history of cognitive research
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Introduction to Cognitive Psychology

Plan for the semester

Methodological aspects Perception Attention Learning and Memory Thinking and Problem Solving Cognitive Neuroscience Intellectual abilities

Introduction to Cognitive Psychology

The goal of this class

To learn something new that you did not know before/think about in each session To integrate your new knowledge with topics of other courses and your everyday life experiences To acquire an overview about what cognitive psychology is about To acquire theoretical and practical knowledge of research methods
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Introduction to Cognitive Psychology

What I expect from you

Come to class (but do not bring your laptop unless you have to present) Ask questions Participate in discussions Do well on written exams throughout the semester (graded; 80%) Conduct your assigned experiment accurately and present it in class (graded, 20%) No cheating (in accordance with the Code of Academic Integrity; http://jacobs-university.de/academic-integrity-code; http://www.jacobs-university.de/academic_integrity_appendix) Audit: attend 80% of all classes; no exams

Introduction to Cognitive Psychology

TODAYS TOPICS
What is Cognitive Psychology? Your expectations Topics of the course; syllabus Grading components; my expectations Areas of Psychology A short history of cognitive research
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Introduction to Cognitive Psychology

Emotion/Motivation

Social

Biological Neuropsychology

Developmental

Cognitive Psychology

Personality

Organizational Educational

Mathematical Clinical
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Introduction to Cognitive Psychology

The Labs

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Copyright: Jacobs University

Introduction to Cognitive Psychology

How research on cognition began...

Wundt in the Laboratory in Leipzig

http://www.brynmawr.edu/Acads/Psych/rwozniak/31 2.html

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Introduction to Cognitive Psychology

Can cognition be studied?

Dualism
Separation of body and mind Simple psychical processes (e.g., reflexes, sensations, perceptions) can be studied experimentally Higher psychical processes (e.g., thinking) cannot be studied with experiments; too complex

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Introduction to Cognitive Psychology

Late 19th century...

People applied empirical science to study of physical world around them (astronomy, physics, chemistry, biology, physiology and medicine). What about the human mind and behaviour?

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Introduction to Cognitive Psychology

Wilhelm Wundt
Psychology lab at University of Leipzig in 1879:
Wilhelm Wundt (1832-1920) German Philosopher & Psychologist Father of Psychology

www.psych.upenn.edu

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Introduction to Cognitive Psychology

Wundts research
Analyze conscious experience into its elements Study sensory experience of simple physical stimuli Presented stimulus and participant had to focus on this Measured reaction time Observations Introspection
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Introduction to Cognitive Psychology

Associationism
Aristotle (384-322 BC) Greek philosopher and scientist Thomas Hobbes (1588 -1679) English Philosopher and Political Theorist John Locke (1632-1704) English Philosopher and Political Theorist

From: www.hao.ucar.edu/.../ sp/images/aristotle.html

From: http://www.accd.edu/sac/english/bailey/locke.jpg

From: http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/history/virtual/portrait/hobbes.jpg

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Introduction to Cognitive Psychology

Associationism
Mental life can be explained in terms of ideas and associations.

Example:

Thinking is... moving from one idea to another via a chain of associations

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Introduction to Cognitive Psychology

Associationism
John Locke (1632-1704) English Philosopher and Political Theorist

Mind as tabula rasa (blank slate) Experience important, not innate factors

From: http://www.accd.edu/sac/english/bailey/locke.jpg

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Introduction to Cognitive Psychology

Associationism
Thomas Hobbes (1588 -1679) English Philosopher and Political Theorist

Sensations lead to simple ideas. Combinations of simple ideas lead to more complex ideas.

From: http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/history/virtual/portrait/hobbes.jpg

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Introduction to Cognitive Psychology

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Introduction to Cognitive Psychology

experience experience experience

experience

experience

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Introduction to Cognitive Psychology

experience experience
idea idea idea idea

experience

idea

experience

experience

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Introduction to Cognitive Psychology

idea

idea idea idea

idea

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Introduction to Cognitive Psychology

idea

idea idea idea

idea

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Introduction to Cognitive Psychology

Associations (Aristotle)
1. Contiguity 2. Similarity 3. Contrast
Aristotle (384-322 BC) Greek philosopher and scientist

From: www.hao.ucar.edu/.../ sp/images/aristotle.html

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Introduction to Cognitive Psychology

1. Contiguity
Two ideas that occur together in time or in space tend to be associated or linked

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Introduction to Cognitive Psychology

2. Similarity
The more similar two ideas are, the greater their chance of being associated.

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Introduction to Cognitive Psychology

3. Contrast
Events or objects that are opposites tend to be associated.

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Introduction to Cognitive Psychology

Associationism
How could problem solving be studied? Trial and error Edward Thorndikes (1874-1949) puzzle box task

www-distance.syr.edu

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Introduction to Cognitive Psychology

Edward Thorndikes (1874-1949) puzzle box task

cat must perform certain response (e.g., pushing a lever) to get out of the box Solved this by trial and error: random behaviour, no evidence of thinking Discovered solution by accident Learned with practice

academic.udayton.edu

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Introduction to Cognitive Psychology

Habit family hierarchies

Vary in strength: hierarchy

R1

S --- R

R2 R3

Stimulus: Problem solving situation S Response: Problem solving behaviours R Associations between S and R
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www.ansi.okstate.edu

Introduction to Cognitive Psychology

Associationism
response tendencies are learned a stimulus evokes a response (S R) the connection between Stimulus and Response can be reinforced or weakened

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Introduction to Cognitive Psychology

Thorndikes laws of exercise and effect

Laws of learning Law of exercise: practice increases the S-R link Law of effect: helpful responses increase in strength, move up in hierarchy; unhelpful responses lose strength and move down in the hierarchy

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Introduction to Cognitive Psychology

Learning and Memory

Ebbinghaus (1850-1909)

From: http://vlp.mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de/vlpimages/images/img6059.jpg

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Introduction to Cognitive Psychology

Ebbinghauss memory research

Studied how associations between words and wordlike elements (nonsense syllables) The methods he developed are still used today. Outlined two possible theories Derived testable prediction that could distinguish between the two theories Conducted experiment

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Introduction to Cognitive Psychology

Gestalt psychology (Germany, America)

Max Wertheimer (1880-1943)
Kurt Koffka (1886-1941)
allpsych.com

Wolfgang Khler (1887-1967)

wkprc.eva.mpg.de

www.psychology-online.net

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Introduction to Cognitive Psychology

Gestalt psychology
Gestalt means organized whole, configuration psychological experience is dynamic field of events that interact and influence each other

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www.gestaltqueensland.org.au

Behaviorism (America)

Introduction to Cognitive Psychology

John B. Watson (1878-1958) "All learning is a matter of responses that are selected and sequenced." Study of observable stimuli and responses only (reaction against introspection) What is happening inside the organism cannot be studied in psychology
S black box R
From: http://www.coedu.usf.edu/abaresource/movies/re pository/watson%20pic.jpg

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Introduction to Cognitive Psychology

Cognitive Psychology
Late 1950s, 1960s Development of information technology Information-processing approach

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Introduction to Cognitive Psychology

Ulric Neisser (1967): Cognitive Psychology book

Information is flowing through the cognitive system similar to information flowing through a computer system.

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Introduction to Cognitive Psychology

Keywords
Areas of Psychology Associationism Aristotle, Hobbes, Locke Wundt, Thorndike, Ebbinghaus Gestalt Psychology Behaviorism Cognitive Psychology
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Introduction to Cognitive Psychology

What you need to do now Please read: Kellogg, R. (1995). The Discipline. In R. Kellogg, Cognitive Psychology. (pg. 3-28). London: Sage Publications. September 13th: Quiz!!! (with Lieze) And when I come back (Sept. 15th)

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Introduction to Cognitive Psychology

more on how we can study cognition!

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