Cognitive Theory Overview

Study Notes

Overview of Cognitive Theory

Cognitive theory is a psychological framework that explains how people process information, perceive, and respond to stimuli. It focuses on mental processes such as attention, perception, memory, language, and problem-solving.

Key Concepts

Information Processing: The process of receiving, organizing, and responding to information from the environment.
Schemas: Mental frameworks that organize knowledge and influence perception and interpretation of information.
Working Memory: A system that temporarily holds and manipulates information for cognitive tasks.
Executive Functions: High-level cognitive processes, including decision-making, problem-solving, and planning.

Cognitive Processes

Attention: Selective focus on specific stimuli or tasks while ignoring others.
Perception: Interpretation and organization of sensory information from the environment.
Memory: Storage, retention, and retrieval of information.
- Sensory Memory: Brief storage of sensory information.
- Short-Term Memory: Limited capacity, volatile storage of information.
- Long-Term Memory: Permanent storage of information.
Language: Symbolic representation and communication of meaning.
Problem-Solving: Cognitive processes used to resolve difficulties or challenges.

Theorists

Ulric Neisser: Known as the "father of cognitive psychology" for his work on cognitive processes and information processing.
George Miller: Developed the concept of "chunking" in short-term memory and the magical number seven, plus or minus two.
Jerome Bruner: Contributed to the development of cognitive theory, focusing on perception, learning, and language.

Applications

Artificial Intelligence: Cognitive theory informs the development of intelligent systems that mimic human cognition.
Education: Understanding cognitive processes informs instructional design and learning strategies.
Clinical Psychology: Cognitive theory is used in the diagnosis and treatment of cognitive disorders, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Cognitive Theory

Cognitive theory is a psychological framework that explains how people process information, perceive, and respond to stimuli.

Key Concepts

Information processing involves receiving, organizing, and responding to information from the environment.
Schemas are mental frameworks that organize knowledge and influence perception and interpretation of information.
Working memory is a system that temporarily holds and manipulates information for cognitive tasks.
Executive functions are high-level cognitive processes, including decision-making, problem-solving, and planning.

Cognitive Processes

Attention involves selective focus on specific stimuli or tasks while ignoring others.
Perception is the interpretation and organization of sensory information from the environment.
Memory involves storage, retention, and retrieval of information, including:
- Sensory memory, which is brief storage of sensory information.
- Short-term memory, which has limited capacity and is volatile.
- Long-term memory, which is permanent storage of information.
Language is the symbolic representation and communication of meaning.
Problem-solving involves cognitive processes used to resolve difficulties or challenges.

Theorists

Ulric Neisser is known as the "father of cognitive psychology" for his work on cognitive processes and information processing.
George Miller developed the concept of "chunking" in short-term memory and the magical number seven, plus or minus two.
Jerome Bruner contributed to the development of cognitive theory, focusing on perception, learning, and language.

Applications

Artificial intelligence is informed by cognitive theory, which is used to develop intelligent systems that mimic human cognition.
Understanding cognitive processes informs instructional design and learning strategies in education.
Cognitive theory is used in the diagnosis and treatment of cognitive disorders, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), in clinical psychology.