The contribution of cognitive psychology to the scientific study of behaviour Cognitive psychology examines the way the mind processes information; this is studied to determine behaviour. Most psychologists are interested in finding general laws for behaviour and then using them to predict behaviour and learn about people. Cognitive psychology contributes to science by using models which are tested in a systematic way. The experimental testing of hypotheses is another contribution. The information processing approach is …showed first 75 words of 672 total…

…showed last 75 words of 672 total…representative of behaviour in the ‘real’ world. Experimental biases, extraneous variables and the fact that people subconsciously act differently under experimental conditions can all change the results. From this we can see how experimental hypotheses and models are linked. Hypotheses are originally needed to conceive models, and to prove these models extensive testing is needed. Ultimately, though from many angles, cognitive psychology’s contribution to science’s study of behaviour is the information processing approach.