Cognitive Theories

 Hi, today we are gonna talk about yet another category of theories. The ones we will talk today about are the Cognitive Theories. Let's start with the definition, shall we?

These theories form part of cognitive psychology, which develops the study of the mental processes involved in knowledge.

They are responsible for the study of those processes that individuals use to acquire and organize the information of the environment, through the use of both simple mental processes and higher processes.

    1. The theory of information processing

The model established by Atkinson and Shiffrin is a theory that explains human memory, dividing it into three different types. These types are: = Sensory memory;

                                                                     = Short-term memory;

                                                                     = Long-term memory.

His theory explains from a structural point of view that the information is acquiring in different phases and where each of them forms a different store.

In addition, it establishes an analogy between memory and the computer, considering that both processors operate on this information, store it and retrieve it when needed.

Also it is possible to mention the system of executive control or metacognitive abilities. These have their origin in the development and its function is to conduct the information along its corresponding processing.

On the other hand, there is another theory that is in opposition to the explanation of the structural processing. This would focus more on a procedural model of information.

Among the proponents of this model are Craik and Lockhart, who assert that information passes through various phases from the person extracting the sensory characteristics until the realization of the extraction of its meaning.

    2. The theory of the Gestalt

This theory holds that the minds shapes, through certain principles, all those elements that become part of it. Mainly, this configuration is done through perception and memory.

The central principle of this theory is that the mind forms a global whole with tendencies to self-organization. Thus for its defenders, the whole forms something different that goes beyond the sum of the parts that compose it.

The main laws to highlight within this part of psychology would be:

            • Law of likeness: States that the mind makes groupings among the most similar elements.

            • Law of proximity: States that the grouping of elements is done according to the distance to which they are. 

            • Closing act: Refers to the way the mind is in charge of adding some element when it is missing to get a complete figure.

            • Law of pregnancy: Would be the tendency to group the different elements in the simplets possible way.  

    3. Dialectical-genetic psychology

The most influential author within this part of psychology is Vygotsky, which considers learning as one of the main development mechanisms, giving great importance to the context in which it occurs.

For her social interaction is key in the development of people, becoming its main engine. Thus the learning process and the development process interact.

For this genetic dialectic psychology, good teaching is one in which learning is promoted within a social environment.

His theory refers to how people already bring a genetic code or "line of cultural development", which is based on learning at the time the individual interacts with the environment.

Human development is shaped and expressed in social terms, as people develop intelligence based on the tools they find in their environment.

This was it for today, hope you enjoyed it! If you did, consider to comment, subscribe, share to friends or family and even check the other ones, too!