Why is "Writing 'the mind is like a computer' without input→process→output" a common mistake in Introduction to the Cognitive Approach?

Why it happens: Students learn the analogy but not the detail. How to avoid it: Spell out input → process → output and add an example. The detail is what earns the second mark. Source: 9990 mark schemes

Why is "Calling Baron-Cohen a 'true experiment'" a common mistake in Introduction to the Cognitive Approach?

Why it happens: It looks like an experiment with groups. How to avoid it: The autism vs non-autism groups already exist and are NOT manipulated — it's a quasi-experiment, so cause cannot be firmly claimed.

Why is "Saying the Eyes Test–AQ correlation 'proves' autistic traits cause low scores" a common mistake in Introduction to the Cognitive Approach?

Why it happens: Confusing correlation with causation. How to avoid it: A correlation shows a relationship, not cause. Say 'as AQ rises, Eyes Test scores tend to fall' — no cause claimed.

Why is "Concluding children are simply 'worse at remembering faces' (Pozzulo)" a common mistake in Introduction to the Cognitive Approach?

Why it happens: Over-simplifying the result. How to avoid it: Children did well on cartoon target-present line-ups; the problem is target-absent (saying 'not here') → a SOCIAL cause (pressure to choose). Source: 9990 Learner Guide common mistakes

Why is "Generic evaluation ('artificial', 'small sample') with no study detail" a common mistake in Introduction to the Cognitive Approach?

Why it happens: Stock evaluation phrases. How to avoid it: Anchor every point in evidence: 'static eyes-only photos' (Baron-Cohen), 'shading printed shapes' (Andrade), 'video clips not a real crime' (Pozzulo).

Cognitive Approach (AS Level)Cambridge International A Level Psychology 9990

Introduction to the Cognitive Approach

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The Cognitive Approach — Cambridge International AS & A Level Psychology 9990 Study Notes (2024-2026)

The cognitive approach explains behaviour through mental processes — attention, perception, memory, thinking and language — modelled on information processing. This note builds the underlying theory (input–process–output, schemas), shows how the three core studies illustrate it, and drills the 'in-context' evaluation that wins Paper 1 marks.

At a glance

Assumption 1: information is processed through the same route in all humans — input → process → output — like a computer.
Assumption 2: people have individual differences in cognitive processing (attention, language, thinking, memory), and these processes help explain behaviour and emotion.
Core cognitive processes: attention, perception, memory (encoding–storage–retrieval), thinking and language — often organised by schemas.
Three core studies: Andrade (doodling → attention/memory), Baron-Cohen et al. (Eyes Test → theory of mind), Pozzulo et al. (line-ups → eyewitness memory in children).
Methods on show: laboratory experiments, a quasi-experiment + correlation (Baron-Cohen), psychometric testing, surprise/incidental memory tests.
Issues & debates that recur: application to everyday life, individual & situational explanations, use of children (Pozzulo).
Exam gold: Paper 1 Section B 'evaluate' answers must be in context, with 2 strengths + 2 weaknesses and at least one being the named issue.

What you’ll learn

Mapped to the Cambridge International A Level 9990 syllabus (2024-2026).

Outline the two main assumptions of the cognitive approach.
Explain the core mental processes — attention, perception, memory, thinking, language — and the information-processing model the approach uses.
For each core study, show understanding of the psychology being investigated, background, aim(s), procedure, ethical issues, results, conclusions and strengths/weaknesses.
Describe and evaluate the methodology used in each cognitive core study.
Consider how each study relates to the AS issues and debates (application to everyday life; individual & situational explanations; use of children).

The two assumptions — learn them word-perfect

Humans process information input→process→output like a computer; individual differences in those processes explain behaviour.

The cognitive approach studies the mind — the internal mental processes that sit between a stimulus and a response. It treats the mind as an information processor that takes in information, works on it, and produces an output.

Assumption 1 — Information is processed through the same route in all humans: input → process → output, in a similar way to how information is processed by a computer.

Input = information comes in through the senses (e.g. hearing a list of names).
Process = the mind works on it (attention, perception, memory, thinking).
Output = behaviour results (e.g. writing the names down, choosing a face in a line-up).
The computer analogy: like a computer, the mind encodes information, stores it and retrieves it.

Assumption 2 — People have individual differences in their cognitive processing such as with attention, language, thinking and memory. These processes can also help to explain behaviour and emotion.

Not everyone processes the same way: some have better memory, sharper attention, or differences in social cognition (e.g. theory of mind). These differences explain why people behave and feel differently.

Why the wording matters. A 2-mark "outline one assumption" question is pure recall — write the assumption and give a quick example, and you bank both marks.

Assumption 1 = information processed input→process→output, like a computer.
Assumption 2 = individual differences in cognitive processes explain behaviour and emotion.
Cognition sits BETWEEN stimulus and response (it studies the 'middle').
Always pair an assumption with a quick example for full marks.

The mental processes behind the studies (background substance)

Attention, perception, memory (encode–store–retrieve), thinking, language and schemas — the toolkit every cognitive explanation uses.

Your textbook teaches the studies; this section gives you the cognitive psychology behind them, so you can explain rather than recite. Each core study is really about one or two of these processes.

1. Attention. Our processing capacity is limited, so we select some information and filter out the rest. Andrade's doodling study is about attention — whether a small secondary task helps keep attention on a boring primary task or distracts from it.

2. Perception. The mind interprets sensory input, not just records it. This is why two people can 'see' the same scene differently.

3. Memory — the heart of cognition. Memory works in three stages, exactly like a computer:

Encoding — turning input into a form that can be stored.
Storage — holding it over time.
Retrieval — getting it back out. Memory is reconstructive, not a perfect recording — we rebuild memories and can distort them. This matters for Pozzulo's eyewitness study.

4. Thinking, decision-making and theory of mind. Higher cognition includes reasoning and social cognition — understanding other people's minds. Theory of mind (attributing thoughts/feelings to others) is the focus of Baron-Cohen's Eyes Test.

5. Language. A cognitive process that lets us represent and share ideas (less central to these three studies, but part of the approach).

6. Schemas. A schema is a mental framework of prior knowledge that helps us process new information quickly — but it can also bias perception and memory (e.g. filling gaps with what we 'expect'). Schemas explain how reconstructive memory goes wrong.

Attention = selecting information (limited capacity) → Andrade.
Memory = encode → store → retrieve; it is RECONSTRUCTIVE (can distort) → Pozzulo.
Theory of mind = understanding others' mental states → Baron-Cohen.
Schemas = prior-knowledge frameworks that speed processing but can bias it.
Perception, thinking and language complete the cognitive 'toolkit'.

The three core studies — what each one is 'famous for'

Andrade = doodling aids memory; Baron-Cohen = Eyes Test & theory of mind; Pozzulo = children's false positives in line-ups.

You will be examined on all three core studies, so build a one-line 'hook' for each.

Study	Topic / 'psychology being investigated'	Headline finding
Andrade (2010)	Attention, memory	Doodlers recalled ~29% more than controls — doodling aids concentration on a boring task
Baron-Cohen et al. (2001)	Theory of mind, social sensitivity	Adults with autism/Asperger's scored lower on the revised Eyes Test — theory-of-mind difficulties persist into adulthood
Pozzulo et al. (2011)	Eyewitness memory, false positives	Children made far more false positives in target-absent line-ups — a social (not purely cognitive) problem

How they fit the assumptions:

Andrade → studies the process of attention/memory between input (the message) and output (recall).
Baron-Cohen → studies individual differences in a cognitive process (theory of mind).
Pozzulo → studies memory and how it differs between children and adults.

Andrade → doodling improves attention & memory.
Baron-Cohen → Eyes Test; autism = lower theory of mind.
Pozzulo → children make more false positives (target-absent line-ups).
Memorise a one-line 'hook' for each to speed up recall.

Research methods you must spot in this approach

Lab experiments dominate; plus a quasi-experiment, correlation, psychometric testing and surprise memory tests.

Paper 1 often asks you to identify and evaluate the methodology of a core study. The cognitive studies showcase:

Laboratory experiment — Andrade (doodling vs control) and Pozzulo (controlled video + line-up).
Quasi-experiment — Baron-Cohen (the autism vs non-autism 'groups' are not manipulated by the researcher).
Correlation — Baron-Cohen (Eyes Test score vs AQ score).
Psychometric test — Baron-Cohen (the revised Eyes Test and the AQ measure individual differences numerically).
Independent vs repeated measures designs — Andrade (independent: doodle/control); Pozzulo (repeated for stimulus type and target presence; independent for age).
Surprise / incidental memory test — Andrade (the recall test was unexpected, reducing demand characteristics).

Why this matters for A:* link a feature to a strength/weakness, e.g. "the recall test was a surprise, so participants could not rehearse — increasing the validity of the memory measure".

Lab experiments → control + cause-and-effect.
Quasi-experiment (Baron-Cohen) → groups exist already (autism), so cause is harder to claim.
Correlation → relationship, NOT cause (Eyes Test vs AQ).
Psychometric tests → numerical measure of individual differences.
Surprise memory test (Andrade) → reduces demand characteristics.

Issues & debates that recur in the cognitive approach

Application to everyday life, individual & situational explanations, and the use of children (Pozzulo).

Relate each core study to the relevant issues and debates:

Application to everyday life. Andrade → doodling to aid concentration in lectures/phone calls; Baron-Cohen → screening and supporting people with autism; Pozzulo → improving how police run line-ups with child witnesses.
Individual vs situational explanations. Baron-Cohen highlights individual differences (some people have better theory of mind). Pozzulo points to a situational cause — social pressure on children to choose someone.
Use of children in psychological research. Pozzulo tested 4–7 year-olds: discuss the ethics (consent, protection) and the value (you cannot study child eyewitnesses without children).
Nature vs nurture. Less central, but theory of mind has both innate and developmental aspects.

Exam phrasing tip: when a question names an issue (e.g. "…at least one of your evaluation points must be about the use of children"), you must include it to reach the top band.

Application: concentration (Andrade), autism support (Baron-Cohen), police line-ups (Pozzulo).
Individual differences (Baron-Cohen) vs situational pressure (Pozzulo).
Use of children (Pozzulo) → ethics + value.
If a question names an issue, build one evaluation point around it.

How the Cognitive Approach is examined (Paper 1)

Section A = short answers on the studies; Section B = describe + evaluate, with a named issue.

Paper 1 (Approaches, Issues and Debates) is 1 hour 30 minutes, 60 marks, testing AO1 (knowledge), AO2 (application) and AO3 (analysis/evaluation).

Section A — short-answer questions test recall: aims, procedures, results, conclusions, issues/debates. Command words: state, outline, describe, identify, suggest, explain.

Section B — extended response & essay asks you to describe a study (~6 marks) and evaluate it (8–10 marks), and may compare studies.

The key skill — the 'evaluate' answer:

Two strengths and two weaknesses (not a long list).
Include the named issue.
Be in context — every point uses evidence from that study.
Use a PEEL chain: Point → Explain → Evidence → Link.

A point like "the sample was unrepresentative" scores low. "Baron-Cohen tested only 15 adults with autism, so the findings may not generalise to all people on the autism spectrum" scores high — specific and explained.

Section A = short recall of studies + issues/debates.
Section B = describe (~6) + evaluate (8–10), maybe compare.
Evaluate = 2 strengths + 2 weaknesses, include the named issue.
Every evaluation point must be IN CONTEXT and explained (PEEL).

How it’s examined

Examined on Paper 1 (Approaches, Issues and Debates) — Section A short-answer questions on the three cognitive core studies, and Section B describe (~6 marks) + evaluate (8–10 marks). Recurring tasks: outline an assumption (2 marks); describe a study's aim/procedure/results; evaluate a study 'in terms of two strengths and two weaknesses' with a named issue (e.g. generalisations, ecological validity, use of children). Examiner reports stress that evaluation must be IN CONTEXT and explained.

Sources: Cambridge International AS & A Level Psychology 9990 syllabus (2024-2026); 9990 Learner Guide (for examination from 2024); 9990 Scheme of Work (for examination from 2024); 9990 Specimen Paper 1 and example candidate responses. Last reviewed 2026-05-21.

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Step-by-step worked examples — Introduction to the Cognitive Approach

Step-by-step solutions to past-paper-style questions on introduction to the cognitive approach, written exactly the way a tutor would explain them at the board.

1Outline one assumption of the cognitive approach (2 marks)
Getting started• assumptions, AO1
Question
Outline one assumption of the cognitive approach. (2 marks)
Step-by-step solution
1. Step 1
  State the assumption. 'Information is processed through the same route in all humans: input → process → output, similar to a computer.'
2. Step 2
  Add an example for the second mark. e.g. 'For example, a name is heard (input), held in memory (process) and written down (output).'
Answer
Information is processed input → process → output, like a computer — e.g. hearing a name, storing it, then recalling it. (2)
Examiner tip
1 mark for the assumption, 1 for elaboration/example. 'The mind is like a computer' alone is too vague.
2Identify the study and the cognitive process (2 marks)
Getting started• core studies, AO1
Question
Identify the cognitive core study that investigated theory of mind, and name the cognitive process it studied. (2 marks)
Step-by-step solution
1. Step 1
  Study: Baron-Cohen et al. (2001) — the revised Eyes Test.
2. Step 2
  Cognitive process: theory of mind (social cognition / social sensitivity).
Answer
Baron-Cohen et al. (2001); theory of mind / social sensitivity. (2)
Examiner tip
Match the study to the process: Andrade = attention/memory; Baron-Cohen = theory of mind; Pozzulo = (eyewitness) memory.
3Explain how a study illustrates an assumption (4 marks)
Building confidence• assumptions, AO2
Question
Explain how the study by Andrade (doodling) illustrates an assumption of the cognitive approach. (4 marks)
Step-by-step solution
1. Step 1
  State the assumption: information is processed input → process → output.
2. Step 2
  Input: participants heard the boring telephone message.
3. Step 3
  Process: attention/memory worked on it — and doodling reduced daydreaming, keeping attention on the message.
4. Step 4
  Output: doodlers recalled ≈29% more — showing internal processing (attention) shaped behaviour (recall).
Answer
Andrade shows input (message) → process (attention/memory; doodling cut daydreaming) → output (≈29% better recall) — internal processing explaining behaviour. (4)
Examiner tip
AO2 marks come from mapping the study onto the assumption, not just defining it.
4Application to everyday life (4 marks)
Building confidence• application, AO2, issues-debates
Question
Using a cognitive core study, explain how the cognitive approach can be applied to everyday life. (4 marks)
Step-by-step solution
1. Step 1
  Choose Pozzulo et al.: children make more false positives in target-absent line-ups.
2. Step 2
  Real-world use: police can change how they run line-ups with child witnesses.
3. Step 3
  Specifically, use elimination procedures and make 'not here' an acceptable answer to reduce social pressure to choose.
4. Step 4
  This improves the reliability of child eyewitness evidence and reduces wrongful identifications.
Answer
Pozzulo → children make false positives in target-absent line-ups → police should use child-friendly/elimination line-ups so children can say 'not here', improving justice. (4)
Examiner tip
Link a SPECIFIC finding to a SPECIFIC application. 'Psychology helps the police' alone caps at 1–2 marks.
5Describe how two cognitive studies used different methods (6 marks)
Stretch• research methods, AO1, AO2
Question
Describe how two cognitive core studies used different research methods. (6 marks)
Step-by-step solution
1. Step 1
  Study 1 method: Andrade used a controlled laboratory experiment with an independent-measures design (doodle vs control).
2. Step 2
  What it allowed: tight control + a surprise recall test → cause and effect, replicable, reduced demand characteristics.
3. Step 3
  Study 2 method: Baron-Cohen used a quasi-experiment (autism vs non-autism groups already exist) plus a correlation (Eyes Test vs AQ).
4. Step 4
  What it allowed: comparison of pre-existing groups and a relationship between two scores — but cause is harder to claim because groups weren't manipulated.
5. Step 5
  Make the contrast explicit: a true experiment (Andrade) can show cause; a quasi-experiment/correlation (Baron-Cohen) shows differences/relationships but not cause.
6. Step 6
  (Alternative pairing) Andrade (true experiment) vs Pozzulo (lab experiment with a mixed design) to contrast independent vs repeated-measures designs.
Answer
Andrade: true lab experiment (independent measures) → cause and effect. Baron-Cohen: quasi-experiment + correlation (groups not manipulated) → differences/relationships, not cause. Contrast = control of cause. (6)
Examiner tip
Use comparison language ('whereas'). Naming the quasi-experiment (Baron-Cohen) and why it limits cause is a high-value point.
6Build one in-context evaluation point (PEEL) (4 marks)
Stretch• evaluation, AO3, exam-technique
Question
Evaluate the cognitive approach by explaining one weakness, using a core study. (4 marks)
Step-by-step solution
1. Step 1
  Point. Cognitive studies are often artificial, lowering ecological validity.
2. Step 2
  Explain. Testing mental processes in controlled tasks may not reflect real-life thinking.
3. Step 3
  Evidence (in context). Baron-Cohen judged emotion from static photos of just the eyes, with no voice, body or context.
4. Step 4
  Link. Real social understanding uses far more cues, so the test may not reflect everyday theory of mind — limiting ecological validity.
Answer
Weakness: artificial tasks. Baron-Cohen used static eyes-only photos with no context, unlike real social situations, so it may not reflect everyday theory of mind. (4)
Examiner tip
The in-context evidence ('static eyes-only photos') + explanation is what scores. 'It was artificial' alone is generic.

Model Answers — Introduction to the Cognitive Approach

High-scoring sample answers for introduction to the cognitive approach on the Cambridge International A Level 9990 paper, with examiner-style notes mapping each response to the mark scheme and assessment objectives.

Question 1
9990 Paper 1 Section B (describe) style6 marks
Q (6 marks). Describe the two assumptions of the cognitive approach and, for each, briefly explain how one core study supports it.
Model answer
The first assumption is that information is processed through the same route in all humans — input → process → output — much like a computer. This is supported by Andrade (2010): participants heard a dull message (input), processed it using attention and memory (the doodling group daydreamed less), and produced an output — doodlers recalled about 29% more. The study shows internal processing turning input into behaviour.

The second assumption is that people have individual differences in cognitive processing (attention, language, thinking, memory) and that these explain behaviour and emotion. This is supported by Baron-Cohen et al. (2001): adults with autism/Asperger's scored lower on the revised Eyes Test (≈21.9/36) than typical adults (≈26–28), showing that individual differences in theory of mind explain differences in social behaviour.
Why this scores
Why this scores well. Both assumptions are accurate (AO1) and each is applied to a named study with specific evidence (AO2). Quoting figures (29%; 21.9 vs 26–28) lifts it.
Question 2
9990 Paper 1 Section B (evaluate) style8 marks
Q (8 marks). Evaluate the cognitive approach as a way of explaining human behaviour. Refer to at least two core studies.
Model answer
Strength 1 — scientific, controlled methods. The cognitive approach typically uses controlled experiments, giving reliable, replicable data and allowing cause and effect. For example, Andrade (2010) randomly allocated participants to doodle or control and used a surprise recall test, so the finding that doodling improved recall is well supported and not due to rehearsal or demand characteristics.

Strength 2 — useful real-world applications. Findings can improve everyday life. Pozzulo et al. (2011) showed children make more false positives in target-absent line-ups, which directly informs better police line-up procedures for child witnesses.

Weakness 1 — artificial tasks / low ecological validity. Studying cognition in controlled tasks may not reflect real thinking. Baron-Cohen et al. (2001) measured theory of mind from static photos of only the eyes, with no voice, body language or context, unlike real social situations.

Weakness 2 — cannot directly observe mental processes. Cognition is inferred from behaviour, not seen. We conclude doodling 'reduces daydreaming' (Andrade) or that there is a 'theory-of-mind deficit' (Baron-Cohen), but these are interpretations of the output, not direct measurements of the process.

Conclusion. The cognitive approach is scientific and highly applicable, but its artificial tasks and reliance on inferring hidden processes mean it is strongest when its lab findings are tested against real-world behaviour.
Why this scores
Why this reaches the top band. Two strengths and two weaknesses, each in context with study evidence, PEEL-shaped, plus a reasoned conclusion (AO3). 'Artificial' is made specific ('static eyes-only photos').
Question 3
9990 Paper 1 Section B (application) style6 marks
Q (6 marks). Explain how the cognitive approach can be applied to everyday life, using two core studies.
Model answer
Application 1 — improving concentration (Andrade, 2010). Because doodling reduced daydreaming and improved recall of a boring message by about 29%, the cognitive approach suggests a simple, practical tip: doing a small secondary task such as doodling during lectures, meetings or phone calls can help people stay focused and remember more.

Application 2 — improving justice (Pozzulo et al., 2011). Because children made many more false positives in target-absent line-ups — driven by social pressure to choose — the approach informs how police should run line-ups with child witnesses. Using child-friendly 'elimination' procedures, and making it clearly acceptable to say 'the person is not here', should reduce wrongful identifications and improve the reliability of child eyewitness evidence.

In both cases, understanding the underlying cognitive process (attention; reconstructive memory and response bias) leads to a concrete, useful change in everyday practice.
Why this scores
Why this scores well. Two clearly different applications, each tied to a specific finding from a named study, with the practical change spelled out. Vague 'helps people learn' statements would not gain these marks.
Question 4
9990 Paper 1 Section B (discussion) style8 marks
Q (8 marks). 'Cognitive studies lack ecological validity.' Using core studies, discuss how far you agree.
Model answer
Support for the claim. Several cognitive studies use artificial tasks. Baron-Cohen et al. (2001) measured theory of mind from static photos of just the eyes, with no voice, body or context — unlike real social interaction. Pozzulo et al. (2011) showed participants short video clips (including cartoons) rather than a real crime witnessed under stress. Andrade (2010) used a deliberately dull recorded message in a lab. In each case the setting is controlled and unlike everyday life, which could limit how far the findings transfer.

Against the claim. The criticism can be overstated. The processes studied are real and important: attention during boring tasks (Andrade) does happen in real lectures and calls; reading the eyes (Baron-Cohen) is a genuine everyday social skill; and eyewitness line-ups (Pozzulo) are real police procedures the study directly improves. The artificiality is partly the price of control (so cause can be established) and, for Pozzulo, of ethics (no child witnessed a real crime).

Conclusion. Many cognitive studies are artificial, so the claim has real force. But 'artificial setting' does not always mean 'irrelevant to real life' — these studies investigate real processes and produce findings that apply to lectures, social difficulties and policing. The fairest judgement is that low ecological validity is a genuine limitation that must be weighed against the gains in control, ethics and applicability.
Why this scores
Why this reaches the top band. It argues both sides with specific study evidence, distinguishes 'artificial setting' from 'no real-world relevance', links artificiality to control and ethics, and reaches a measured conclusion (AO3). Discussion questions reward this balance.

Key Definitions and Keywords — Introduction to the Cognitive Approach

Definitions to memorise and the exact keywords mark schemes credit for introduction to the cognitive approach answers — sharpened from recent examiner reports for the 2026 Cambridge International A Level 9990 sitting.

Cognitive approach
Examiner keyword
An approach that explains behaviour through internal mental processes — attention, perception, memory, thinking and language — modelled on information processing.
Information processing
Examiner keyword
The idea that the mind takes in information (input), works on it (process) and produces behaviour (output), like a computer.
Schema
Examiner keyword
A mental framework of prior knowledge that helps us process new information quickly, but can also bias perception and memory.
Attention
The cognitive process of selecting and focusing on some information while filtering out the rest; has limited capacity.
Memory (encode–store–retrieve)
Examiner keyword
The processes of encoding (taking in), storing (holding) and retrieving (getting back) information. Memory is reconstructive and can distort.
Theory of mind
Examiner keyword
The ability to attribute mental states — thoughts, beliefs, intentions, emotions — to other people, and to understand they may differ from one's own.
Quasi-experiment
Examiner keyword
A study comparing groups that already exist (e.g. autism vs non-autism), where the IV is not manipulated by the researcher — so cause is harder to establish.
Psychometric test
A standardised test that measures a psychological characteristic numerically (e.g. the revised Eyes Test or the AQ).
Individual differences
Variation between people in cognitive processing (e.g. attention, memory, theory of mind) that helps explain differences in behaviour and emotion.
Ecological validity
The extent to which findings reflect real, everyday behaviour rather than an artificial task or setting.

Common Mistakes and Misconceptions — Introduction to the Cognitive Approach

The traps other students keep falling into on introduction to the cognitive approach questions — taken from recent Cambridge International A Level 9990 examiner reports and mark schemes — and how to avoid them.

✕Writing 'the mind is like a computer' without input→process→output
9990 mark schemes
Why it happens
Students learn the analogy but not the detail.
How to avoid it
Spell out input → process → output and add an example. The detail is what earns the second mark.
✕Calling Baron-Cohen a 'true experiment'
Why it happens
It looks like an experiment with groups.
How to avoid it
The autism vs non-autism groups already exist and are NOT manipulated — it's a quasi-experiment, so cause cannot be firmly claimed.
✕Saying the Eyes Test–AQ correlation 'proves' autistic traits cause low scores
Why it happens
Confusing correlation with causation.
How to avoid it
A correlation shows a relationship, not cause. Say 'as AQ rises, Eyes Test scores tend to fall' — no cause claimed.
✕Concluding children are simply 'worse at remembering faces' (Pozzulo)
9990 Learner Guide common mistakes
Why it happens
Over-simplifying the result.
How to avoid it
Children did well on cartoon target-present line-ups; the problem is target-absent (saying 'not here') → a SOCIAL cause (pressure to choose).
✕Generic evaluation ('artificial', 'small sample') with no study detail
Why it happens
Stock evaluation phrases.
How to avoid it
Anchor every point in evidence: 'static eyes-only photos' (Baron-Cohen), 'shading printed shapes' (Andrade), 'video clips not a real crime' (Pozzulo).

Practice questions

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Introduction to the Cognitive Approach

Short Study Notes in the form of Slides

Short Study Notes — Introduction to the Cognitive Approach

Detailed Notes

What you’ll learn

How it’s examined

1Outline one assumption of the cognitive approach (2 marks)

2Identify the study and the cognitive process (2 marks)

3Explain how a study illustrates an assumption (4 marks)

4Application to everyday life (4 marks)

5Describe how two cognitive studies used different methods (6 marks)

6Build one in-context evaluation point (PEEL) (4 marks)

Cognitive approach

Information processing

Schema

Attention

Memory (encode–store–retrieve)

Theory of mind

Quasi-experiment

Psychometric test

Individual differences

Ecological validity

✕Writing 'the mind is like a computer' without input→process→output

✕Calling Baron-Cohen a 'true experiment'

✕Saying the Eyes Test–AQ correlation 'proves' autistic traits cause low scores

✕Concluding children are simply 'worse at remembering faces' (Pozzulo)

✕Generic evaluation ('artificial', 'small sample') with no study detail

Practice questions

Past paper style quiz

Assess your understanding