Class Notes: Introduction to Cognitive Psychology

Date: March 3, 2024

Instructor: Dr. P. Psyche

Key Concepts Covered:

1. Introduction to Cognitive Psychology:

 Cognitive psychology is the scientific study of mental processes such as
perception, memory, attention, language, problem-solving, and decision-
making.
 It seeks to understand how individuals acquire, process, store, and retrieve
information and how these processes influence behavior.
2. Foundations of Cognitive Psychology:
 Cognitive psychology emerged as a distinct field in the 1950s, influenced
by developments in computer science, linguistics, and neuroscience.
 Early cognitive psychologists, such as Jean Piaget and George Miller, laid
the groundwork for the field by introducing theories of cognitive
development and information processing.
3. Perception and Attention:
 Perception refers to the process of organizing and interpreting sensory
information to create a meaningful experience of the world.
 Attention is the cognitive process of selectively focusing on certain aspects
of the environment while ignoring others.
 Research in perception and attention explores topics such as visual
illusions, attentional biases, and the role of attention in multitasking.
4. Memory:
 Memory is the cognitive ability to encode, store, and retrieve information
over time.
 The modal model of memory, proposed by Atkinson and Shiffrin,
distinguishes between sensory memory, short-term memory, and long-
term memory.
  Research in memory examines factors influencing encoding and retrieval
processes, types of memory (e.g., episodic, semantic, procedural), and
memory disorders (e.g., amnesia).
5. Language and Cognition:
 Language is a fundamental aspect of human cognition that involves the
acquisition, comprehension, and production of symbols and rules for
communication.
 Cognitive psychologists study language processing, linguistic
development, and the relationship between language and thought.
6. Problem-Solving and Decision-Making:
 Problem-solving involves the process of finding solutions to complex or ill-
defined problems using mental strategies and algorithms.
 Decision-making is the process of selecting among alternative courses of
action based on preferences, beliefs, and goals.
 Research in problem-solving and decision-making explores heuristics,
biases, and rationality in decision-making processes.
7. Cognitive Neuroscience:
 Cognitive neuroscience investigates the neural mechanisms underlying
cognitive processes using techniques such as functional neuroimaging
(e.g., fMRI, EEG) and lesion studies.
 It seeks to understand how brain structures and networks support
cognitive functions and how disruptions to these systems contribute to
cognitive deficits.