Section C Cognitive and Social Approach

2056 Words9 Pages
The cognitive approach section c One assumption of the cognitive approach is that information received from our senses is processed by the brain and that this processing directs how we behave or justifies why we behave the way we do, internal mental processes such as memory, thinking, reasoning, language and problem solving are important features which influence human behaviour. Describe how the cognitive approach can explain autism/TOM The cognitive approach assumes that behavior, in this case autism, can be explained in terms of the way the mind operates. Baron-Cohen proposes that the core problem in autism is failure to develop a core cognitive skill: theory of mind skills, which everyone else develops automatically as they grow and mature. Baron-Cohen argues that having some difficulty in understanding other people’s points of view is the core feature and appears universal amongst individuals with autism. Autistic individuals have difficult in inferring a range of mental states in others such as emotions, imaginations. The results from the advance theory of mind show that adults with autism and Asperger’s Syndrome were impaired on a theory of mind test despite having normal intelligence, whilst the Tourette’s syndrome group and the normal participants performed identically.Not being able to read emotions from eyes may explain why those with autism have difficulties inferring mental states in other people. Describe how the cognitive approach can explain language acquisition. The cognitive approach assumes that behavior, in this case language acquisition, can be explained in terms of the way the mind operates. Lock proposes that we acquire language through two key steps: associative symbol learning and representational symbol learning. Also humans have the capability of acquiring language by needing no training and being able to provide differential

More about Section C Cognitive and Social Approach

Open Document