Related Concept Videos
01:20Introduction to Cognitive Psychology
Cognitive psychology is the field of psychology dedicated to examining how people think. It attempts to explain how and why we think the way we do by studying the interactions among human thinking, emotion, creativity, language, and problem-solving, as well as other cognitive processes. Cognitive psychology studies how information is processed and manipulated in remembering, thinking, and knowing.
This field emerged in the mid-20th century, following a period dominated by behaviorism, which...
This field emerged in the mid-20th century, following a period dominated by behaviorism, which...
01:17Cognitivism
Cognitive psychology emerged as a significant field in the mid-20th century. It focused on understanding humans' internal mental processes. This approach emphasizes how people perceive, remember, think, and solve problems—elements critical to human cognition.
Previously dominated by behaviorism, which prioritized observable behaviors and largely ignored mental processes, psychology transformed in the 1950s. Cognitive psychologists argue that understanding how we think and process information is...
Previously dominated by behaviorism, which prioritized observable behaviors and largely ignored mental processes, psychology transformed in the 1950s. Cognitive psychologists argue that understanding how we think and process information is...
01:21Cognitive Learning
Cognitive learning is based on purposive behavior, incidental learning, and insight learning.
E. C. Tolman's theory of purposive behavior emphasizes that much behavior is goal-directed. He argued that to understand behavior, we must look at the entire sequence of actions leading to a goal. For instance, high school students study hard, not just due to past reinforcement but also to achieve the goal of getting into a good college.
Tolman introduced the idea that behavior is influenced by...
E. C. Tolman's theory of purposive behavior emphasizes that much behavior is goal-directed. He argued that to understand behavior, we must look at the entire sequence of actions leading to a goal. For instance, high school students study hard, not just due to past reinforcement but also to achieve the goal of getting into a good college.
Tolman introduced the idea that behavior is influenced by...
01:27Language and Cognition
Language serves as a bridge between ideas and communication, influencing how individuals perceive and interact with the world. Psychologists have long debated whether language shapes thought or vice versa. This discussion gained grip with Edward Sapir and Benjamin Lee Whorf in the 1940s, who proposed that language determines thought, a concept known as linguistic determinism. They suggested that the vocabulary and structure of a language influence how its speakers think and perceive reality.
01:01Neuroplasticity
Neuroplasticity reflects the brain's remarkable capacity to adapt and evolve, responding dynamically to learning, experiences, or injury by reorganizing its neural circuitry. This reorganization involves creating new neural connections and refining old ones through a series of biological processes that contribute to the brain's lifelong development and adaptability.
01:30Cognitive Enhancers: Cholinesterase Inhibitors and NMDA Receptor Antagonists
Cognitive enhancers, also known as "smart drugs," are substances used to enhance memory, mental alertness, and concentration. These can be natural or synthetic and improve cognition in conditions like Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other neurodegenerative diseases. Some common examples include caffeine, amphetamines, methylphenidate, modafinil, arecoline, donepezil, vortioxetine, and piracetam. These enhancers work on the principle of synaptic plasticity and altered circuit function. They...
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Related Experiment Video
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A Naturalistic Setup for Presenting Real People and Live Actions in Experimental Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience Studies
Published on: August 4, 2023
Is cognitive neuropsychology possible?
1The Johns Hopkins University.
Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience
|August 24, 2013
Summary
Cognitive neuropsychology uses brain-damaged subjects to understand normal cognition. Analyzing impaired performance provides valuable insights into the brain
Area of Science:
- Cognitive neuropsychology as a branch of cognitive science and cognitive neuroscience.
- Focus on understanding normal perceptual, motor, and cognitive processes.
Background:
- Cognitive neuropsychology utilizes performance data from brain-damaged individuals.
- Lesion data offers relevance to the functional organization of the brain.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess research programs constraining normal cognition theories via acquired cognitive disorders.
- To evaluate claims that such studies require theories based on anatomical and physiological facts.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of performance patterns in brain-damaged subjects.
- Examination of criticisms regarding the use of impaired performance in cognitive theories.
Main Results:
Conclusions:
- The study emphasizes the pragmatic value of using impaired performance to refine theories of normal cognition.
- Cognitive neuropsychological research is useful for constraining cognitive theories, as illustrated by examples.