Discussion 1: Developments in Cognitive Psychology
Phrenologists in nineteenth-century Victorian England believed that aspects of a person-such as weight, temperament, and organ function-represented themselves as bumps on the head. By fingering the ridges on the skulls of individuals, practitioners believed that they could make determinations about any number of somatic and psychological qualities. Humans have long sought to understand how the brain functions to create the self-how it "knows." This search has evolved into today's study of cognition.
Long dismissed by the scientific community, the pseudoscience of phrenology gave way to a twentieth-century understanding of neurological function as a general mystery that science had yet to solve. This belief persisted into the 1990s, until advances in technology and theory development brought about an exponential increase in neurologists' understanding of cognitive processes.
With the advent of imaging technology, neurologists, psychologists, and even laypersons have access to "pictures of the mind." When bolstered by theory and research, these images expand our awareness of the ways in which the brain helps us to think, feel, and act (Cacioppo, Berntson, & Nusbaum, 2008).
For this Discussion, consider your definition of cognitive psychology. Think about developments in the field, and contributions that they have made.
With these thoughts in mind:
Write by Day 3 a one page personal definition of cognitive psychology. Then describe two important developments in the field of cognitive psychology beyond the use of neuroimaging. Finally, explain how the developments contribute to the field of psychology. Support your response using the Learning Resources and current research.
Be sure to support your postings and responses with specific references to the Learning Resources.
Discussion 2: Influence of Neuroscience on Cognitive Research
Scientists have engaged in study to determine whether or not the parts of the brain specialize in one task exclusively, performing an action repetitively like factory workers on a traditional assembly line. Some theorize that individual neural regions specialize in various tasks, at times even "contracting" one another for collaborative interactions (Kanwisher, 2010).
However the brain conducts its processing, the manner in which this occurs directly influences how humans appear on the "outside." Thus, if human attitudes toward ethnically different groups correspond with "increased activity in the amygdala, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, and anterior cingulate cortex," (2008, p. 65) a deeper understanding of this activity may correlate with greater awareness of the mechanisms behind stereotyping and prejudice.
It is now possible to examine questions such as these using the arsenal of research methodologies available to cognitive research. Some examples of these methodologies include functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI), Positron Emission Tomography (PET), Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), and Magnetoencephalograpy (MEG).
For this Discussion, you identify a major impact of neuroscience on cognitive psychology. You then explain impacts of neuroscience on social change. You also consider a related question you find interesting and describe effective research methods for investigating it. Locate five articles published in the last five years in peer-reviewed journals that document research involving questions and methodologies that you find interesting.
With these thoughts in mind:
write by Day 4 a one page brief explanation of one major impact neuroscience has had on the field of cognitive psychology. Explain how neuroscience might influence social change. Then research one question related to cognitive psychology that is interesting to you. Finally, discuss the research method you would use to investigate that question and explain why your selected method might be most suitable.
Be sure to support your postings and responses with specific references to the Learning Resources.