My Self Journal | Cognitive Approach: Most Relatable Perspective

The Cognitive Perspective focuses on what goes on the mind of a person, it looks at the way human process information. It states that difference in Personality is caused by the different ways humans process information which causes them to react in different ways (Buger, 2011). For example people reading this blog post would find it either entertaining or boring while others may use informative and lacks information to describe it, these differences is what the cognitive perspective focuses on. Let's say 10 people are reading this blog right now (haha! I wish) a certain percentage of those viewers would lean towards one of the bipolar choices while others may lean towards the other choice or a totally different one. From that pool of people with common bipolar categories (for example entertaining and boring) a certain percentage would choose one end (let's say entertaining) while others would choose the other end (boring). The difference in choice indicates the different ways people process information despite being exposed to the same situation.

If you are reading this post and still feel a bit confused about what the cognitive perspective is don't fret I got your back here's a video about the cognitive perspective.

                                                                                                                           Source: www.youtube.com

I can personally relate to the Cognitive Perspective because I see it in action everyday. I see people having different opinions although they were exposed to the same situation and although these differences sometimes cause disagreements it shows what this perspective tells us, that human process information differently. 

Ought Self

Someone's ought self maybe someone who is thin and fit (like what is implied in the picture) or maybe someone who is rich and successful whatever it may be we fight hard to achieve our ought self and often feel anxiety when we are not able to (Burger, 2011). As a University student whose whole life seems to be dependent on how I do in school  I can especially Identify to the concept of the ought self and how it affects a person. I feel like every move and decision I make is geared towards who I believe I should be and like how Kelly theorized I often feel anxious whenever something happens that would give discrepancies to this belief. I also often feel guilt (another concept that Kelly believes to be caused by us doing something that does not fit our ought self) at times when I feel like my actions are not in line with my ought self.

Man as Scientist

                                                                           source: google.com

This theory of Kelly really fits how I go about my life these days. According to this theory people, like scientist, hypothesize to try to predict and color what would happen. Like scientists we also go about life in a trial and error way by trying to modify hypothesis that does not work. This is exactly what I (and probably everyone else) do. I admit that yes there are still times where I try to hold on to a hypothesis that did not work but I immediately learned how to let go and although I still wallow in self pity sometimes due to my mistakes I am slowly learning to not let these out-dated beliefs to pull me back.

Gender and Memory

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This topic in the relative research section of the book for Cognitive Psychology really got to me. It also finally gave me the answer as to why women tend to always remember the "important" events in life as compared to men. This topic made me see that men aren't necessarily forgetful they only mostly remember facts unlike women who use their emotions to link with their memory.  

Often wondered why women use things and events from the past as paraphernalia whenever they fight with someone of the opposite gender (I see some men nodding their heads)? This is because men and women deem different information as important, women often remember personal things while men remember more impersonal events. This tidbit of information made me realize why my mom always use things from the past when in argument both with me and my dad. So ladies be understanding with your men they don't mean to forget they're just made that way and men please don't tell this to your lady when she's angry you might sleep on the couch longer.

Reference(s): Burger, J. M. (2011). Personality (8th ed.). Belmont, Calif: Wadsworth Pub. Co.