Cognitive Theory Overview

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.