You must show an understanding that cognitive psychology is about the role of cognition/cognitive processes in human behaviour. Processes include perception, memory, selective attention, language and problem solving. The cognitive topic area draws on how information is processed in the brain. What you need to learn:
The multi-store model of memory (Atkinson and Shiffrin, 1968), including information processing, encoding, storage, retrieval, capacity and duration.
The working memory model (Baddeley and Hitch, 1974) including the phonological loop, central executive, visualspatial sketchpad, episodic buffer.
Reconstructive memory (Bartlett, 1932), including schema theory.
Designing and conducting experiments, including field and laboratory experiments.
Independent and dependent variables.
Experimental and null hypotheses.
Directional (one-tailed) and non-directional (two-tailed) tests and hypotheses.
Experimental and research designs: repeated measures, independent groups and matched pairs, the issues with each and possible controls.
Operationalisation of variables, extraneous variables and confounding variables.
The use of control groups, counterbalancing, randomisation and order effects.
Situational and participant variables.
Objectivity, reliability and validity (internal, predictive and ecological).
Experimenter effects, demand characteristics and control issues.
List A from Topic A.
(List B) Decision making and interpretation of inferential statistics
Levels of measurement.
Wilcoxon signed ranks test of difference (also covering Spearman's rank correlation coefficient (formula) and Spearman's rank (critical values table) and Chi-squared distribution once Unit 2 has been covered).
Probability and levels of significance (p≤.10 p≤.05 p≤.01).
Observed and critical values, and sense checking of data.
One- or two-tailed regarding inferential testing.
Type I and type II errors.
Case studies of brain-damaged patients related to research into memory, including the case of Henry Molaison (HM).
Bartlett (1932) War of the Ghosts.
Schmolck et al. (2002) Semantic knowledge in patient HM and other patients with bilateral medial and lateral temporal lobe lesions.
Sacchi et al. (2007) Changing history: doctored photographs affect memory for past public events.
One practical research exercise to gather data relevant to topics covered in cognitive psychology. This practical research exercise must adhere to ethical principles in both content and intention. In conducting the practical research exercise, you must:
design and conduct a laboratory experiment using a repeated measures design to gather quantitative data and include descriptive statistics as analysis and the Wilcoxon nonparametric test of difference
make design decisions when planning and conducting their experiment, using a repeated measures design, sampling decisions, operationalisation, control, ethical considerations, hypothesis construction, experimenter effects and demand characteristics and order effects
collect, present and comment on data gathered, including using measures of central tendency (mean, median, mode as appropriate); measures of dispersion (including range and standard deviation as appropriate); bar graph, histogram, frequency graph as relevant; normal distribution if appropriate and draw conclusions
use a Wilcoxon non-parametric test of difference to test significance, including level of significance and critical/observed values
consider strengths and weaknesses of the experiment, and possible improvements
write up the procedure, results and discussion section of a report.
Dual task experiment to investigate phonological and/or visuospatial components of working memory.
An experiment to look at acoustic similarity of words and the effect on short-term memory.