Cognitive Approach Assumptions

The computer analogy is the foundation of cognitive psychology - your brain works remarkably like a computer processor. Information flows in through your senses (like keyboard input), gets processed in your mind, and produces output as memories, decisions, or actions.

The multistore model perfectly demonstrates this process in action. When you see something, the information enters through sensory memory, moves to short-term memory (your mental workspace), and can be stored in long-term memory for later retrieval. Think of it like saving a file on your computer - you input data, process it, then store it for future use.

Internal mental processes work together seamlessly to help you navigate daily life. Your perception, attention, memory, and language systems collaborate in split seconds. When you spot your mate across the corridor, you're simultaneously paying attention, recognising their features, searching your memory, and preparing to call their name - all through information processing.

Schemas are your brain's organised filing system - packets of knowledge built from experience and stored in long-term memory. Your "dog schema" contains everything you know about dogs: four legs, furry, barks, wags tail. These mental frameworks help you quickly understand new situations by comparing them to what you already know.

Quick Tip: Schemas aren't always accurate since they're often built from social exchanges rather than direct experience - like having a "burglar schema" despite never meeting one!