Thesis on "Cognitive Psychology Perception Bias in Education"

Thesis 6 pages (2013 words) Sources: 12 Style: APA

[EXCERPT] . . . .

Cognitive Bias may exist in the educational system towards cognitive psychology that might be doing more harm than good in regards to the students such bias affects. If this statement is true it could turn the cognitive theorists of the world on their respective ears. One recent study examined a community sample of 81 youth aged 9-17 years old (38 females and 43 males) as well as their parents in an effort to ascertain whether cognitive 'errors' or bias could be the cause of an increased level of anxiety.

The study found that "selective attention, memory bias, and cognitive errors were each correlated with childhood anxiety problems and provide support for a cognitive model of anxiety" (Watts, Weems, 2007, pg. 841). Recognizing that the problem could be significant, this paper will examine how a bias in regards to cognitive psychology as it is applied in the educational forum has evolved and continues to influence the way learning is presented in the classroom.

2006 study conducted by Charles Bailey states that our cultural belief systems "tend to rely on rigid inaccurate irrational thinking" (Bailey, 2006, pg. 279). His study suggests that the irrational thinking inhibits executive functioning "which in turn diminishes our rational thought and behaviors, resulting in fewer rational outcomes, and promoting further irrational thought and behavior in the future" (Bailey, pg. 279). In other words, society seems to be heading in a generally downward trend in regards to our individual, and collective, thinking skills that continues to be diminished by the very process that inhibits the skills in the first place. According to Bailey, it is an exponential process.

<br />Bailey's study seems to link the dumbing down of society with the cognitive evolution that allows us to recognize the fact that we are subject to such a process in the first place. If this is true, then the educational system implementing cognitive psychological aspects are, in fact, only hurrying the process. Bailey espouses a solution to the problem by providing 'cognitive accuracy'. According to Bailey, cognitive accuracy provides a yardstick for "accurate and rational thought and behavior" (Bailey, pg. 280). This paper asserts that perhaps the very act of attempting to accurately access a cognitive accuracy provides additional motivation (especially in the classroom) to dismiss attempts to learning unless it is defined by cognitive psychology.

The classroom and educational systems are only the latest to feel a cognitive bias and its effects, it is still difficult to determine whether those effects are (in the long-term) going to be detrimental or positive in nature. As a comparison, a cognitive bias has (for the most part) always been evident in society and since the educational system is a microcosm of society, it is easily understandable why the effects of cognitive bias are being felt there.

One study shows that cognitive bias has effects on society in general oftentimes as the underlying cause of 'status-devaluation'. The study concludes that the "main reason for the occurrence of status-devaluation is the experience of relative deprivation in postcommunism" (Sgourev, Sloan, 2006, pg. 1497).

The study showed that it is likely that "the bias is reinforced by a process of network closure under conditions of high uncertainty and accelerated social change" (Sgourev, Sloan, pg. 1498).

The comparison of a communist community to an educational classroom might seem ludicrous on the surface, but just as the process of transitioning to a new form of government brings with it an inherent anxiety level for adults, so too does an educational setting bring its own level of anxiousness to those young students who are experiencing it. A cognitive bias that allows that anxiety to build, whether in a communist society or in an educational setting, can be felt in both instances.

However, a cognitive bias that allows the student to believe that he or she can accomplish goals and objectives at a higher level can be a good thing. Correcting such a bias might not be in the best interest of the student. One recent study states that "studies in psychology and behavorial economics have identified several situations in which correction of a bias may lead to worse decisions" (Besharov, 2004, pg. 12). Besharov states that decision-making is replete with cognitive biases and that correcting one bias might not have any effect on the situation whatsoever, and in fact, could actually worsen the situation if other biases are also present. If Besharov's theory is correct then the question that could be asked is whether the cognitive bias to be found in the classroom setting is actually a bad thing, or even if whether getting rid of such a bias might not cause further damage in the long run.

Besharov writes "in a system of interacting biases, the correction of any single one has ambiguous welfare implications" (Behsharov, pg. 12). According to Besharov, correcting the cognitive bias in the classroom may actually do more harm than good.

Other studies, however, tout the fact that knowledge increases with the introduction of applied cognitive psychological theories. A paper published in 2008 study the difference in health education materials based on theoretical and empirical research basis. The researchers studied the knowledge gained and expressed by university students regarding health education material presented in an original manner, as compared to health education material presented after it had been enhanced with principles of cognitive psychology. The study determined that there were "significant differences in knowledge uptake between the two versions" (Whittingham, Ruiter, Castermans, Huiberts, Kok, 2008, pg. 414). The study showed that more knowledge was gained and retained when the health brochure was produced with principles of cognitive psychology. The study conducted two separate experiments and "in both experiments, the modified version elicited higher scores on knowledge uptake than the original version" (Whittingham, et al., pg. 414).

Assuming that Whittingham's study is correct brings to bear another problem in attempting to ascertain and either defend or denigrate the presence of cognitive bias and its harm or its positive effects.

If cognitive bias or the application of cognitive theory in regards to curriculum has a positive, rather than a negative effect, in the classroom, then the current curriculum would all need to be changed, modified and re-written. Accomplishing such a task is monumental in nature. One recent study shows that "although advantages of individualized learner-tailored instruction have been recognized for a long time and continue to be aspired...it still remains a mainly unrealized dream for the majority of educators" (Kalyuga, 2007, pg. 511). The study seems to suggest that since cognitive theory bias is going to be present in the classroom then perhaps it should be even more fully embraced with a dramatic change in the method in which written material is presented to the students.

Much of the written material that Kayluga referred to was to be found in the 'brick and mortar' classrooms found throughout the world, but Kayluga also conducted a study on the effects of cognitive theory implementation in an e-educational type setting in an attempt to determine if cognitive bias could also be found there. Kayluga writes "this framework can also provide a suitable conceptualization for more general analysis of the conditions and methods for enhancing instructional efficiency of interactive learning environments" (Kayluga, 2007, pg. 387).

Having a cognitive bias in the classroom can be the underlying cause of learning information that might be wrong. Student's tendencies to make errors based on cognitive conditions or cognitive input that could be erroneous is certainly understandable, the question is what to do to alleviate such errors.

Some of the above studies show that perhaps the educational community should do more to provide a cognitive psychological aspect to the presented material in order for the students to gain further knowledge, while other studies seem to show that the material presented in the classroom is already much to skewed in a cognitive bias. Statistical judgments and memories that are erroneous can ensure that anecdotal evidence is not nearly as reliable as what society believes it is. With the wide variety of cognitive theory implementations in the educational field it is certain that even as effective as such implementations are, that if they (in the end) provide erroneous or skewed data, then there is more harm being done than good.

A recent study espoused one method for ensuring that cognitive bias is being addressed in the classroom and in the e-learning environment. The development of Cognitive Tutors addresses the problem of cognitive bias and (at least initially) it seems to be working. The study states that Cognitive Tutors are "a type of intelligent tutor based on cognitive psychology theory of problem solving and learning" (Koedinger, Aleven, 2007, pg. 240). Supplying a Cognitive Tutor for student's use seems to alleviate concern over cognitive bias because the problems are based on individual student performance. The study concludes that "the learning benefits of these forms of interactivity are supported, to varying extents, by a growing number of results from experimental studies (Koedinger, Aleven, pg. 240).

One specific reason for… READ MORE

How to Reference "Cognitive Psychology Perception Bias in Education" Thesis in a Bibliography

Related Thesis Papers:

Perception Research Into Aspects Research Proposal

Perception

Research into Aspects of Perception

The issue to be reviewed and critiqued in this paper has to do with perception and attention from several perspectives and points-of-view. To wit,… read more

Research Proposal 5 pages (1737 words) Sources: 6 Style: APA Topic: Psychology / Behavior / Psychiatry

---

Social Psychology Cognitive Dissonance Term Paper

Social Psychology

Cognitive dissonance

This is the feeling that one has within them when they hold two conflicting feelings or thoughts within them at the same time. This usually highlights… read more

Term Paper 4 pages (1659 words) Sources: 4 Topic: Psychology / Behavior / Psychiatry

---

Post-Modern to Contemporary Psychology Research Paper

Post-Modern to Contemporary Psych

Psychology: Post-modern to Contemporary

From its foundation as a separate science from philosophy and biology, psychology has been a dynamic and ever evolving discipline with ongoing… read more

Research Paper 10 pages (3161 words) Sources: 10 Topic: Psychology / Behavior / Psychiatry

---

Psychology Testing: Psychometric Emotional Intelligence (Eq) Durrenmatt Term Paper

Psychology Testing: Psychometric Emotional Intelligence (EQ)

Durrenmatt (1996) may have had it right when he said, "Emotions have no place in business, unless you do business with them." Or perhaps,… read more

Term Paper 45 pages (12427 words) Sources: 1+ Topic: Psychology / Behavior / Psychiatry

---

Cognitive Counseling Research Proposal

Cognitive Counseling

This is a template and guideline ONLY. Please do not turn in as final paper.

What is It?

Cognitive counseling, as defined by most of the experts in… read more

Research Proposal 20 pages (5805 words) Sources: 1+ Topic: Psychology / Behavior / Psychiatry

---

View 100+ more related papers  >>