key term - Ulric Neisser

Definition

Ulric Neisser was a pioneering cognitive psychologist who is considered the father of the cognitive revolution in psychology. He played a pivotal role in shifting the field of psychology away from the dominant behaviorist approach and towards the study of mental processes, such as perception, attention, memory, and problem-solving.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Neisser's 1967 book, 'Cognitive Psychology,' is considered a seminal work that laid the foundation for the cognitive revolution in psychology.
2. Neisser challenged the behaviorist view that psychology should focus solely on observable behavior, arguing that the study of mental processes is essential for understanding human behavior.
3. Neisser's concept of 'constructive memory' proposed that memory is an active process of reconstruction rather than a passive recording of information.
4. Neisser's research on perception and attention contributed to the understanding of how people actively select and process information from their environment.
5. Neisser's work on the role of schemas in perception and memory influenced the development of cognitive theories of information processing.

Review Questions

• Explain Ulric Neisser's contribution to the cognitive revolution in psychology.
  • Ulric Neisser played a pivotal role in the cognitive revolution by challenging the dominant behaviorist approach and advocating for the study of mental processes. His 1967 book, 'Cognitive Psychology,' is considered a seminal work that laid the foundation for the field of cognitive psychology. Neisser argued that the study of perception, attention, memory, and problem-solving is essential for understanding human behavior, in contrast to the behaviorist focus on observable behavior alone. Neisser's research on constructive memory, schemas, and information processing contributed to the development of cognitive theories and the shift away from the passive, stimulus-response model of the mind.
• Describe Neisser's concept of 'constructive memory' and its significance.
  • Ulric Neisser's concept of 'constructive memory' challenged the prevailing view of memory as a passive recording of information. Instead, Neisser proposed that memory is an active process of reconstruction, where individuals use their existing knowledge, schemas, and experiences to interpret and make sense of new information. This idea was a significant departure from the behaviorist view of memory as a simple stimulus-response mechanism. Neisser's concept of constructive memory highlighted the role of cognitive processes, such as perception and attention, in shaping our recollection of events and experiences. This understanding of memory as an active, reconstructive process has had far-reaching implications for the study of human cognition and the development of cognitive theories.
• Analyze how Neisser's work on perception and attention contributed to the cognitive revolution.
  • Ulric Neisser's research on perception and attention played a crucial role in the cognitive revolution by challenging the behaviorist view of the mind as a passive receiver of stimuli. Neisser's work demonstrated that perception is an active, constructive process, where individuals selectively attend to and process information from their environment based on their existing knowledge, schemas, and cognitive biases. This understanding of perception as an active, top-down process, rather than a simple bottom-up recording of sensory input, was a significant departure from the behaviorist perspective. Similarly, Neisser's research on attention highlighted the cognitive mechanisms that allow individuals to focus on relevant information and filter out irrelevant stimuli. This work on the active, selective nature of perception and attention was instrumental in the shift towards the study of mental processes and the development of cognitive theories of information processing.

Related terms

Cognitive Psychology:

The branch of psychology that studies mental processes, including perception, attention, memory, language, problem-solving, and decision-making.

Cognitive Revolution:

The shift in psychology in the 1950s and 1960s from the dominant behaviorist approach to the study of mental processes and cognition.

Constructive Memory: The idea that memory is an active process of reconstruction rather than a passive recording of information, as proposed by Neisser.