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Related Concept Videos

Introduction to Cognitive Psychology01:20

Introduction 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...
Cognitivism01:17

Cognitivism

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...
Problem-Solving01:29

Problem-Solving

Effective problem-solving consists of two steps: 1. identifying the problem and 2. selecting the appropriate problem-solving strategy (i.e., a plan of action used to find a solution). Humans use four problem-solving strategies:
Cognitive Learning01:21

Cognitive 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...
Revisionist Views of Adolescent and Adult Cognition01:24

Revisionist Views of Adolescent and Adult Cognition

A revisionist approach to Jean Piaget's theory of cognitive development has brought new insights that challenge and reinterpret his established ideas. Piaget proposed that the formal operational stage, emerging in adolescence, represents the culmination of cognitive maturity. During this stage, individuals are said to develop abstract thinking, engage in systematic problem-solving, and show a form of egocentrism, believing others are as preoccupied with their behavior as they are themselves.
Information Processing Approach01:30

Information Processing Approach

The information-processing theory of cognitive development centers on fundamental mental processes, including attention, memory, and problem-solving skills. Researchers in this field examine how cognitive abilities, such as working memory, evolve and influence children's overall development. Studies indicate that children with stronger working memory tend to excel in reading comprehension, math, and problem-solving compared to peers with less efficient memory skills. Low working memory is also...

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Problem-Solving Before Instruction (PS-I): A Protocol for Assessment and Intervention in Students with Different Abilities
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Published on: September 11, 2021

From Empirical Problem-Solving to Theoretical Problem-Finding Perspectives on the Cognitive Sciences.

Federico Adolfi1,2, Laura van de Braak3, Marieke Woensdregt3,4

  • 1Ernst Strüngmann Institute for Neuroscience in Cooperation with Max-Planck Society, Frankfurt, Germany.

Computational Brain & Behavior
|July 16, 2026
PubMed
Summary

Scientific progress in cognitive science relies on both empirical problem-solving and theoretical problem-finding. This study integrates theoretical challenges into the understanding of how cognitive science research advances, offering a more complete picture of scientific discovery.

Keywords:
Cognitive scienceExplanationMeta-theoryProblem-findingTheoretical constraintsTheory development

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Area of Science:

  • Cognitive Science
  • Philosophy of Science

Background:

  • Current meta-theoretical views emphasize empirical problems in scientific progress.
  • Theoretical problems and problem-finding are often overlooked in analyses of cognitive science.
  • Existing research focuses on theory-observation relationships, starting after empirical problems emerge.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the origins and nature of scientific problems in cognitive science.
  • To broaden the conception of problems researchers address beyond empirical ones.
  • To integrate theoretical problems and problem-finding into a comprehensive view of cognitive science advancement.

Main Methods:

  • Conceptual analysis of meta-theoretical perspectives.
  • Examination of research activities in cognitive science.
  • Integration of theoretical and empirical problem-solving frameworks.

Main Results:

  • Identified the underemphasis on theoretical problems in cognitive science research.
  • Demonstrated how theoretical problems arise and contribute to scientific inquiry.
  • Proposed a more integrative model of scientific progress.

Conclusions:

  • Cognitive science advances through a synergy of empirical and theoretical problem-solving.
  • Recognizing and addressing theoretical problems is crucial for deeper scientific understanding.
  • A holistic view of problem-finding and problem-solving enhances research in cognitive science.