Cognitive psychology is a relatively young field of psychological science, but it is rapidly gaining popularity. The authorship of the term belongs to Ulrik Neisser, an American psychologist who published a book with this title in 1967.
Cognitive psychologists specialize in studying the cognitive capabilities of the brain, namely, how the human brain perceives the world around it and learns, how it recognizes, processes and stores information.
Cognitive encompasses all processes by which incoming sensory information is modified. These processes continue even in the absence of external stimulation when it comes to imagination, dreams and hallucinations.
Research conducted by specialists in cognitive psychology is aimed at identifying patterns of mental activity and increasing the overall efficiency of thinking, improving the quality of social interactions and personal growth. Basically, cognitive psychologists study how to use your brain as efficiently as possible.
The range of issues covered in works on cognitive psychology includes thinking disorders, functioning of perception systems, problems of learning, attention, memory and neurolinguistics. Practical applications of cognitive research are aimed at improving memory, increasing the accuracy of decision making, improving the quality of educational programs and optimizing work processes in many areas of human activity.
Cognitive psychologists work in the field of pathopsychology, exploring the causes and treatments for depression, anxiety and other diseases, social psychology, studying interpersonal interactions, developmental psychology and personality. Specialists who have received psychotherapeutic training help patients with various mental and emotional disorders, as well as during the rehabilitation period after head injuries.
Cognitive psychology differs from behavioral psychology by the subject of study. Behaviorists focus on the external manifestations of behavior, on what can be observed directly. Cognitive psychologists are interested in identifying the internal mental processes that lead to observed behavior.
Cognitive psychology differs from psychoanalysis methodically. Psychoanalysis is based on the subjective feelings of both the patient and the therapist. Cognitive psychologists operate with scientific methods, actively using the functionality of such areas of scientific knowledge as neurology, neurophysiology, anthropology, linguistics and cybernetics.
