1.Outline one assumption of the cognitive approach. One assumption of the cognitive approach is that we can understand human behaviour in terms of mental processes. Cognitive psychology emphasizes the importance of cognitive processes such as thinking. Cognitive processes are important in all human activity. We feel and behave in particular ways because we perceive what is happening around us, remember what has already happened and think about these things. 2. Describe how the cognitive approach could explain the difficulties experienced by individuals with autism. The cognitive approach could explain difficulties experienced by people with autism through differences in their mental processing. Individuals with autism tend to lack ˜theory of mind' or the ability to perceive situations and feelings from anothers perspective, a mental process that without, can lead to social difficulties. This is shown in Baron-Cohen's research, where the group with autism scored significantly lower on the eyes task (16.3 compared to 20.4 in ˜normal' adults). This highlights that people with autism may experience difficulties in social interaction as they are unable to mentally process how someone else is feeling. 3. Describe one similarity and one difference between any studies that take the cognitive approach. One similarity between Baron-Cohen and Loftus & Palmer is that they both lack mundane realism. In Baron-Cohen's study, participants are required to recognise an emotion from pictures of peoples eyes. This is not how people would interpret emotions usually as there is usually a context, speech and bocy language that contribute to the recognition of emotion in others. Also, Loftus & Palmer ask participants to estimate the speed of a vehicle from a video clip. This is not how people would usually witness a car accident as the environmental stimuli would be different such as the weather, time of day or proximity to the accident. One difference between Savage-Rumbaugh and Loftus & Palmer is the type of participants used. Savage-Rumbaugh tested the acquisition of language in primates using a sample of 2 pygmy chimpanzees (Kanzi aged 30-47 months & Mulika aged 11-21 months) and 2 common chimpanzees (Austin & Sherman). In comparison, Loftus & Palmer use a human sample of 45 students from the University of Washington to investigate the effects of information supplied after the event on an eye witnesses testimony. 4. Discuss strengths and weaknesses of the cognitive approach using examples from any studies that take this approach. One strength of the cognitive approach is that it tends to use a scientific approach through the use of laboratory experiments. This is a strength because they are high in control over extraneous variables. For example Loftus and Palmer were able to control the age of the participants, the use of video and the location of the experiment. All participants were asked the same questions (apart from changes in the critical words), and the position of the key question in the second was randomised. Therefore researchers are able to establish cause and effect between the independent variables and dependent variable, in Loftus & Palmer's study, cause and effect ca