Cognitive Processes: Attention and Perception

Cognitive Processes

Attention

• Selective focus on certain stimuli or tasks while ignoring others
• Types:
  • Sustained attention: prolonged focus on a single task
  • Selective attention: focusing on specific stimuli or tasks while ignoring others
  • Alternating attention: switching between two or more tasks
  • Divided attention: processing multiple sources of information simultaneously

Perception

• The process of interpreting and organizing sensory information
• Bottom-up processing: focus on individual components of a stimulus
• Top-down processing: influence of prior knowledge and expectations on perception

Memory

• The process of encoding, storing, and retrieving information
• Types:
  • Sensory memory: brief storage of sensory information
  • Short-term memory: limited capacity, information lost unless rehearsed
  • Long-term memory: permanent storage of information
  • Working memory: temporary holding and manipulation of information

Learning

• The process of acquiring new knowledge or behaviors
• Types:
  • Classical conditioning: association between stimuli and responses
  • Operant conditioning: behavior modification through reinforcement or punishment
  • Social learning: learning through observation and imitation

Language

• The system of communication using words, symbols, and signs
• Components:
  • Phonology: sound system of a language
  • Syntax: rules governing sentence structure
  • Semantics: meaning of words and sentences
  • Pragmatics: social context of language use

Problem-Solving

• The process of identifying and resolving problems
• Strategies:
  • Algorithmic thinking: step-by-step approach
  • Heuristics: mental shortcuts and rules of thumb
  • Insight: sudden, intuitive understanding of a problem

Decision-Making

• The process of selecting a course of action from available options
• Factors influencing decision-making:
  • Cognitive biases: systematic errors in thinking
  • Emotions: influence of emotional states on decision-making
  • Context: social and environmental factors affecting decision-making

Cognitive Processes

Attention

• Attention involves selectively focusing on certain stimuli or tasks while ignoring others
• There are four types of attention: sustained, selective, alternating, and divided
• Sustained attention involves prolonged focus on a single task
• Selective attention involves focusing on specific stimuli or tasks while ignoring others
• Alternating attention involves switching between two or more tasks
• Divided attention involves processing multiple sources of information simultaneously

Perception

• Perception is the process of interpreting and organizing sensory information
• There are two types of processing: bottom-up and top-down
• Bottom-up processing focuses on individual components of a stimulus
• Top-down processing involves the influence of prior knowledge and expectations on perception

Memory

• Memory involves the process of encoding, storing, and retrieving information
• There are four types of memory: sensory, short-term, long-term, and working
• Sensory memory involves brief storage of sensory information
• Short-term memory has limited capacity and information is lost unless rehearsed
• Long-term memory involves permanent storage of information
• Working memory involves temporary holding and manipulation of information

Learning

• Learning involves the process of acquiring new knowledge or behaviors
• There are three types of learning: classical conditioning, operant conditioning, and social learning
• Classical conditioning involves association between stimuli and responses
• Operant conditioning involves behavior modification through reinforcement or punishment
• Social learning involves learning through observation and imitation

Language

• Language is the system of communication using words, symbols, and signs
• Language has four components: phonology, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics
• Phonology involves the sound system of a language
• Syntax involves the rules governing sentence structure
• Semantics involves the meaning of words and sentences
• Pragmatics involves the social context of language use

Problem-Solving

• Problem-solving involves the process of identifying and resolving problems
• There are three strategies for problem-solving: algorithmic thinking, heuristics, and insight
• Algorithmic thinking involves a step-by-step approach
• Heuristics involve mental shortcuts and rules of thumb
• Insight involves sudden, intuitive understanding of a problem

Decision-Making

• Decision-making involves selecting a course of action from available options
• Three factors that influence decision-making are cognitive biases, emotions, and context
• Cognitive biases involve systematic errors in thinking
• Emotions involve the influence of emotional states on decision-making
• Context involves social and environmental factors affecting decision-making