A 16 marker essay that got 15/16 marks. A comparison of approaches essay between the cognitive approach and social learning theory. For the AQA Psychology A-level course.
Compare and discuss the Cognitive approach and Social Learning Theory (16 marks)
The cognitive approach’s main assumption is that our behaviour is dictated by our mental
processes. It also views the human mind like a computer that has inputs and outputs, as well
as believing that we actively process information from the environment rather than being
passive responders. Cognitive psychologists make use of theoretical models, which are
frameworks that help to explain/visualise certain mental processes. An example of a
theoretical model used due to the cognitive approach is the multi-store model for memory.
Schemas are another important aspect of the cognitive approach, as these mental frameworks
are how we store and evolve our knowledge of the world based on our experiences. As we
encounter more information our brain uses these schemas to create mental shortcuts, which
can be useful with the amounts of knowledge we deal with daily.
One similarity between the cognitive approach and SLT is that they both acknowledge how
cognitive factors impact our behaviour. For example, SLT believes that when viewing a
behaviour, our mediational processes influence whether we will imitate. These processes are
attention (the act of actually seeing the behaviour), retention (being able to recall and
remember the behaviour), reproduction (thinking about whether we have the necessary skills
to replicate the behaviour), motivation (to imitate behaviour, we must have an incentive to do
so). SLT believes these mental processes play a key role when learning behaviours, and thus
can be said to consider the influence of both our environment and cognition on behaviour.
Similarly, the Cognitive approach also looks at the role of mental processes on behaviour. For
example, within depression, the cognitive approach argues that the disorder is caused by
having a negative triad. This is where you have negative schemas of yourself, the world, and
the future. Beck argues that this negative triad is linked to the cognitive symptoms of
depression, such as negative thoughts. Thus, both approaches are similar in how they
acknowledge how cognition and mental process can play a role in our behaviour.
One difference between the Cognitive approach and Social Learning Theory (SLT) is that
whilst they are both nomothetic in their attempts to establish general laws for the workings of
behaviour, the cognitive approach uses ideographic methods when it comes to research. For
example, the study used to support the working memory model for short term memory. KF
suffered from brain damage that gave him an impairment for verbal information but his
memory for visual information was unaffected, which cognitive psychologists argued
supports the existence of the phonological loop and visuo-spacial sketchpad. Thus, the
Cognitive approach uses the idiographic method of case studies to investigate their theories,
so that they can then apply their theories of cognitive processes to wider society (a
nomothetic approach). Comparatively, SLT takes on an entirely nomothetic approach when
conducting research. For example, Bandura’s Bobo doll study used many children in its
sample, then when looking at the ways in which they engaged with the doll after viewing an
adult play with it, came to the conclusion that everyone learns behaviour by observing role
models and imitating them. Thus, SLT uses a nomothetic approach in its research by using
large sample sizes and many participants to conclude about the general behaviour of society,
so that their theories can then be applied to everyone. Overall, whilst the cognitive approach
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