PSY270H1 Chapter Notes - Chapter 1: Colin Cherry, Cognitive Revolution, Donald Broadbent

• School: UTSG
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSY270H1
• Professor: Christine Burton

Document Summary

Cognitive psychology: the branch of psychology is the branch of psychology concerned with the scientific study of the mind. Studying the mind: early work in cognitive psychology. In 1800s, ideas about mind dominated by belief that it isn"t possible to study the mind: mind cant study itself, properties of the mind can"t be measured. Franciscus donders = decided to study the mind. Interested in determining how long it takes for a person to make a decision: reaction time: how long it takes to respond to presentation of a stimulus. Simple reaction time task: light goes on. Choice reaction time task: light goes on right or left side. In choice reaction time task = mental response includes perceiving light and deciding which button to push: mental responses can"t be measured directly but must be inferred from behaviour. Savings curve = memory drops rapidly for the first 2 days after initial learning and then levels off.