PSY 1C 01: COGNITIVE PSYCOLOGY - I
UNIT–I: INTRODUCTION TO
COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY
TOPIC: Neuropsychology
, NEUROPSYCHOLOGY
Neuropsychology is a branch of psychology that is concerned with how the brain and the
rest of the nervous system influence a person's cognition and behaviors. More importantly,
professionals in this branch of psychology often focus on how injuries or illnesses of the
brain affect cognitive functions and behaviors
Neuropsychology is strongly influenced by two experimental and theoretical
investigations into brain function: the brain theory, which states that the brain is the source
of behavior; and the neuron theory, the idea that the unit of brain structure and function is
the neuron, or nerve cell.
BRAIN THEORY/ BRAIN HYPOTHESIS
People knew what the brain looked like long before they had any idea of what it did. Early
in human history, hunters must have noticed that all animals have brains and that the brains
of different animals, including humans, although varying greatly in size, look quite similar.
Over the past 2000 years, anatomists have produced drawings of the brain, named its
distinctive parts, and developed methods to describe the functions of those parts. The
central topic in neuropsychology is how brain and behavior are related.We begin with three
classic theories,
➢ Mentalism
➢ Dualisam
➢ Materialism
Mentalism, dualism, and materialism-representative of the many attempts scientists
and philosophers have made to relate brain and behavior.
ARISTOTLE
The Greek philosopher Aristotle (384–322 b.c.e.) was the first person to develop a
formal theory of behavior. He proposed that a nonmaterial psyche is responsible for human
thoughts, perceptions, and emotions and for such processes as imagination, opinion, desire,
pleasure, pain, memory, and reason. The psyche is independent of the body but in
UNIT–I: INTRODUCTION TO
COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY
TOPIC: Neuropsychology
, NEUROPSYCHOLOGY
Neuropsychology is a branch of psychology that is concerned with how the brain and the
rest of the nervous system influence a person's cognition and behaviors. More importantly,
professionals in this branch of psychology often focus on how injuries or illnesses of the
brain affect cognitive functions and behaviors
Neuropsychology is strongly influenced by two experimental and theoretical
investigations into brain function: the brain theory, which states that the brain is the source
of behavior; and the neuron theory, the idea that the unit of brain structure and function is
the neuron, or nerve cell.
BRAIN THEORY/ BRAIN HYPOTHESIS
People knew what the brain looked like long before they had any idea of what it did. Early
in human history, hunters must have noticed that all animals have brains and that the brains
of different animals, including humans, although varying greatly in size, look quite similar.
Over the past 2000 years, anatomists have produced drawings of the brain, named its
distinctive parts, and developed methods to describe the functions of those parts. The
central topic in neuropsychology is how brain and behavior are related.We begin with three
classic theories,
➢ Mentalism
➢ Dualisam
➢ Materialism
Mentalism, dualism, and materialism-representative of the many attempts scientists
and philosophers have made to relate brain and behavior.
ARISTOTLE
The Greek philosopher Aristotle (384–322 b.c.e.) was the first person to develop a
formal theory of behavior. He proposed that a nonmaterial psyche is responsible for human
thoughts, perceptions, and emotions and for such processes as imagination, opinion, desire,
pleasure, pain, memory, and reason. The psyche is independent of the body but in
