APS 402: COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY
INTRODUCTION
Cognition is a key aspect in lives of human beings. It is the aspect of human life that controls all
the mental process as well as the activities in our daily lives. To be able to use our limbs, to
communicate with people or to learn and perform a specific task we apply our cognitive resources.
In essence cognition is omnipresent in all aspects in our lives. On the other hand psychology is a
study of the mind and behavior. Through psychology, we learn about our emotions, our thought
process and our behavior. Cognitive psychology helps us to understand our emotions, our thoughts
and our behavior in response to our emotions and thoughts. We are also able to understand other
people that we interact with based on psychology of our cognition. In this unit you will learn how
cognitive process affects our thoughts, emotions and behavior. This will help you understand
yourself better and those you interact with.
LESSON ONE
INTRODUCTION TO COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY
Welcome to the first lecture in cognitive psychology. This lecture introduces you to the concept of
cognition and how psychology influences our cognitive process. We begin by defining cognitive
psychology. We will then explore omnipresence of cognitive process in our lives and review a
brief history of cognitive psychologyThe lecture also prepares you to engage in different aspects
of cognition that will be covered in the later chapters.
Why do you forget information about some things that we have experienced in life and remember
others so clear? How do you manage to solve problems that you encounter in life?
How do you manage to listen to music while at the same time reading for your exams?How are
you able to choose an outfit for a party from the many in a shop? These are some of the many
questions that are addressed by the field of cognitive psychology. Cognitive psychologists study
how people perceive, learn, remember, and think. As you shall realize cognitive psychology
1
,draws on many other fields, most notably neuroscience, computer science, linguistics, and
philosophy. Moreover, cognitive psychology interacts with other fields within psychology, such
as developmental psychology, social psychology, counselling and clinical psychology. For
example to be able to offer effective therapy you need to understand the thought process of the
clients and how this informs the maladaptive behaviour. Cognitive psychology enables you to
understand the thinking process that will not only help you in the diagnosis but also in the
treatment.
Cognitive psychology will also help you in your work. For example you will be able to learn how
study for your examinations, how to solve your daily problems and how to communicate
effectively among other things.
LESSON OBJECTIVES
By the end of the lesson, you will be able to
I. Define cognitive psychology
II. Describe different cognitive process
III. Explain how cognitive psychology has developed
IV. Describes the significance of cognitive psychology
Definition of cognitive psychology
Cognitive psychology is the scientific study of mental processes that influence behavior.
Examples of mental processes include: attention, language use, memory, perception, problem
solving, decision making, creativity, and reasoning, etc
The term "cognition" refers to all processes by which the sensory input is transformed, reduced,
elaborated, stored, recovered, and used.
Cognitive psychology is a sub-discipline of psychology that employs the scientific method to
answer fundamental questions about how the mind works (Riegler&Riegler, 2004). The mind is
a system that creates and controls mental functions such as perception and attention. Through
different process, the mind creates representation of the world so that we can act within it to
2
,achieve our goals( Goldenstein, 2011). The mind creates and controls mental functions such as
perceptions, attention, memory, emotions, language, decision making, thinking, and reasoning.
For example to be able to read and understand this module, you have to pay attention to what you
are reading. Attention is an activity of the mind. By using our mind, we are able to undertake
different activities for our survival. We also make different decisions in our lives using our minds.
The mind is thus important for functioning and survival.
Cognitive psychologists focus their attention on studying the internal mental processes. Through
controlled research (Mainly experiments), cognitive psychologists study and attempt to explain
how the mental process such as memory, perception and language and decision making takes
place. These process are important in our daily lives. For example, problems are endemic in our
daily lives , learning how to solve problems effectively is therefore important. Cognitive
psychology helps you understand how you solve problem. Cognitive psychology helps us to learn
and explain the role of different mental process in understanding our world. Cognitive psychology
also enables usto gain knowledge of ourselves and others.
Inherent in the cognitive psychology approach is the idea of modularity. Modules are functionally
independent mental units that receive inputs from other modules, perform a specific processing
task, and pass the results of their computation onto yet additional modules. From this approach
cognitive psychologists try to explain how different subsystems of cognition combine in effecting
the cognitive process. For example in problem solving different cognitive process in different
modules such as sensory buffer, both working and long term memory and higher level mental
processing to solve the problem. Cognitive psychologists have studied a wide variety of mental
processes.
These include pattern recognition, attention, memory, imagery, and problem solving.
Cognitive processes
The main focus of cognitive psychologists is on the mental processes that affect behavior.
Cognitive processes refer to the mental activities that enable us to acquire, process, and store
information.
Those processes include, but are not limited to, the following:
3
, 1. Perception: Perception is the process of interpreting sensory information from the
environment. It involves taking in information through the senses and organizing it into
meaningful patterns.
2. Attention: Attention is the ability to focus on specific information while ignoring
distractions. It is a selective process that allows us to allocate our cognitive resources to
the most important information.
3. Memory: Memory is the process of encoding, storing, and retrieving information. It
involves three stages: sensory memory, short-term memory, and long-term memory.
4. Language: Language is a complex cognitive process that involves the acquisition and use
of symbols, such as words and grammar, to communicate meaning.
5. Reasoning: Reasoning is the process of using logic to draw conclusions from available
information. It involves making deductions, inferences, and judgments.
6. Problem-solving: Problem-solving is the process of finding a solution to a problem. It
involves identifying the problem, generating possible solutions, evaluating those solutions,
and selecting the best one.
7. Decision-making: Decision-making is the process of choosing between different options.
It involves evaluating the pros and cons of each option and selecting the best one based on
personal preferences and goals.
These cognitive processes work together to enable us to process and understand the world around
us, and to make decisions and solve problems.
History of cognitive psychology
Cognitive psychology originated in the 1960s in a break from behaviourism, which held from the
1920s to 1950s that unobservable mental processes were outside the realm of empirical science.
Cognitive psychology emerged as a separate branch of psychology in the mid-1900s.
Here are some of the main historical milestones:
● Structuralism:
o In 1870, German psychologist Wilhelm Wundt was the first to approach
psychology as a science. Before then, the mind was considered from a
philosophical standpoint. Wundt attempted to investigate the mind
4
INTRODUCTION
Cognition is a key aspect in lives of human beings. It is the aspect of human life that controls all
the mental process as well as the activities in our daily lives. To be able to use our limbs, to
communicate with people or to learn and perform a specific task we apply our cognitive resources.
In essence cognition is omnipresent in all aspects in our lives. On the other hand psychology is a
study of the mind and behavior. Through psychology, we learn about our emotions, our thought
process and our behavior. Cognitive psychology helps us to understand our emotions, our thoughts
and our behavior in response to our emotions and thoughts. We are also able to understand other
people that we interact with based on psychology of our cognition. In this unit you will learn how
cognitive process affects our thoughts, emotions and behavior. This will help you understand
yourself better and those you interact with.
LESSON ONE
INTRODUCTION TO COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY
Welcome to the first lecture in cognitive psychology. This lecture introduces you to the concept of
cognition and how psychology influences our cognitive process. We begin by defining cognitive
psychology. We will then explore omnipresence of cognitive process in our lives and review a
brief history of cognitive psychologyThe lecture also prepares you to engage in different aspects
of cognition that will be covered in the later chapters.
Why do you forget information about some things that we have experienced in life and remember
others so clear? How do you manage to solve problems that you encounter in life?
How do you manage to listen to music while at the same time reading for your exams?How are
you able to choose an outfit for a party from the many in a shop? These are some of the many
questions that are addressed by the field of cognitive psychology. Cognitive psychologists study
how people perceive, learn, remember, and think. As you shall realize cognitive psychology
1
,draws on many other fields, most notably neuroscience, computer science, linguistics, and
philosophy. Moreover, cognitive psychology interacts with other fields within psychology, such
as developmental psychology, social psychology, counselling and clinical psychology. For
example to be able to offer effective therapy you need to understand the thought process of the
clients and how this informs the maladaptive behaviour. Cognitive psychology enables you to
understand the thinking process that will not only help you in the diagnosis but also in the
treatment.
Cognitive psychology will also help you in your work. For example you will be able to learn how
study for your examinations, how to solve your daily problems and how to communicate
effectively among other things.
LESSON OBJECTIVES
By the end of the lesson, you will be able to
I. Define cognitive psychology
II. Describe different cognitive process
III. Explain how cognitive psychology has developed
IV. Describes the significance of cognitive psychology
Definition of cognitive psychology
Cognitive psychology is the scientific study of mental processes that influence behavior.
Examples of mental processes include: attention, language use, memory, perception, problem
solving, decision making, creativity, and reasoning, etc
The term "cognition" refers to all processes by which the sensory input is transformed, reduced,
elaborated, stored, recovered, and used.
Cognitive psychology is a sub-discipline of psychology that employs the scientific method to
answer fundamental questions about how the mind works (Riegler&Riegler, 2004). The mind is
a system that creates and controls mental functions such as perception and attention. Through
different process, the mind creates representation of the world so that we can act within it to
2
,achieve our goals( Goldenstein, 2011). The mind creates and controls mental functions such as
perceptions, attention, memory, emotions, language, decision making, thinking, and reasoning.
For example to be able to read and understand this module, you have to pay attention to what you
are reading. Attention is an activity of the mind. By using our mind, we are able to undertake
different activities for our survival. We also make different decisions in our lives using our minds.
The mind is thus important for functioning and survival.
Cognitive psychologists focus their attention on studying the internal mental processes. Through
controlled research (Mainly experiments), cognitive psychologists study and attempt to explain
how the mental process such as memory, perception and language and decision making takes
place. These process are important in our daily lives. For example, problems are endemic in our
daily lives , learning how to solve problems effectively is therefore important. Cognitive
psychology helps you understand how you solve problem. Cognitive psychology helps us to learn
and explain the role of different mental process in understanding our world. Cognitive psychology
also enables usto gain knowledge of ourselves and others.
Inherent in the cognitive psychology approach is the idea of modularity. Modules are functionally
independent mental units that receive inputs from other modules, perform a specific processing
task, and pass the results of their computation onto yet additional modules. From this approach
cognitive psychologists try to explain how different subsystems of cognition combine in effecting
the cognitive process. For example in problem solving different cognitive process in different
modules such as sensory buffer, both working and long term memory and higher level mental
processing to solve the problem. Cognitive psychologists have studied a wide variety of mental
processes.
These include pattern recognition, attention, memory, imagery, and problem solving.
Cognitive processes
The main focus of cognitive psychologists is on the mental processes that affect behavior.
Cognitive processes refer to the mental activities that enable us to acquire, process, and store
information.
Those processes include, but are not limited to, the following:
3
, 1. Perception: Perception is the process of interpreting sensory information from the
environment. It involves taking in information through the senses and organizing it into
meaningful patterns.
2. Attention: Attention is the ability to focus on specific information while ignoring
distractions. It is a selective process that allows us to allocate our cognitive resources to
the most important information.
3. Memory: Memory is the process of encoding, storing, and retrieving information. It
involves three stages: sensory memory, short-term memory, and long-term memory.
4. Language: Language is a complex cognitive process that involves the acquisition and use
of symbols, such as words and grammar, to communicate meaning.
5. Reasoning: Reasoning is the process of using logic to draw conclusions from available
information. It involves making deductions, inferences, and judgments.
6. Problem-solving: Problem-solving is the process of finding a solution to a problem. It
involves identifying the problem, generating possible solutions, evaluating those solutions,
and selecting the best one.
7. Decision-making: Decision-making is the process of choosing between different options.
It involves evaluating the pros and cons of each option and selecting the best one based on
personal preferences and goals.
These cognitive processes work together to enable us to process and understand the world around
us, and to make decisions and solve problems.
History of cognitive psychology
Cognitive psychology originated in the 1960s in a break from behaviourism, which held from the
1920s to 1950s that unobservable mental processes were outside the realm of empirical science.
Cognitive psychology emerged as a separate branch of psychology in the mid-1900s.
Here are some of the main historical milestones:
● Structuralism:
o In 1870, German psychologist Wilhelm Wundt was the first to approach
psychology as a science. Before then, the mind was considered from a
philosophical standpoint. Wundt attempted to investigate the mind
4
