Understanding Vcognitive Approach
Understanding the Cognitive Approach
Jacob J. Villarreal
Northeast Lakeview College
Author Note
Jacob J Villarreal, Personality Psychology 2316-004, Northeast Lakeview College
This research was supported by Professor Jessica Martin awarded to Jacob J. Villarreal.
Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Jacob J. Villarreal,
Department of Psychology, Northeast Lakeview College, Student Library , Room 216,
1201 Kitty Hawk Rd. Universal City, Texas 78148. E-mail: jvillarreal198@alamo.edu
The Cognitive Approach in psychology is a relatively modern approach to human behavior that focuses on how we think; with the belief that such thought processes influence the way in which we behave. Other approaches take other factors into account, such as the biological approach, which acknowledges the influences of genetics and chemical imbalances on our behavior. The approach came about in part due to the dissatisfaction with the behavioral approach, which focused on our visible behavior without understanding the internal processes that create it. The approach is based on the principle that our behavior is generated by a series of stimuli and responses to these by thought processes.
Comparison to Other Approaches
Cognitive (meaning "knowing") psychologists attempt to create rules and explanations of human behavior and eventually generalize them to everyone's behavior. The Humanist approach opposes this, taking into account individual differences that make us each behave differently. The cognitive approach attempts to apply a scientific approach to human behavior, which is reductionist in that it doesn't necessarily take into account such differences. However, popular case studies of individual behavior such as HM have lead cognitive psychology to take into account idiosyncrasies of our behavior. On the other hand, cognitive psychology acknowledges the thought process that goes into our behavior, and the different moods that we experience that
Jacob J. Villarreal
Northeast Lakeview College
Author Note
Jacob J Villarreal, Personality Psychology 2316-004, Northeast Lakeview College
This research was supported by Professor Jessica Martin awarded to Jacob J. Villarreal.
Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Jacob J. Villarreal,
Department of Psychology, Northeast Lakeview College, Student Library , Room 216,
1201 Kitty Hawk Rd. Universal City, Texas 78148. E-mail: jvillarreal198@alamo.edu
The Cognitive Approach in psychology is a relatively modern approach to human behavior that focuses on how we think; with the belief that such thought processes influence the way in which we behave. Other approaches take other factors into account, such as the biological approach, which acknowledges the influences of genetics and chemical imbalances on our behavior. The approach came about in part due to the dissatisfaction with the behavioral approach, which focused on our visible behavior without understanding the internal processes that create it. The approach is based on the principle that our behavior is generated by a series of stimuli and responses to these by thought processes.
Comparison to Other Approaches
Cognitive (meaning "knowing") psychologists attempt to create rules and explanations of human behavior and eventually generalize them to everyone's behavior. The Humanist approach opposes this, taking into account individual differences that make us each behave differently. The cognitive approach attempts to apply a scientific approach to human behavior, which is reductionist in that it doesn't necessarily take into account such differences. However, popular case studies of individual behavior such as HM have lead cognitive psychology to take into account idiosyncrasies of our behavior. On the other hand, cognitive psychology acknowledges the thought process that goes into our behavior, and the different moods that we experience that