Cognitive Psychology: How Scientists Study the Mind - WebMD

Cognitive psychologists do clinical research, training, education, and clinical practice. They use the insights gained from studying how people ... MenuNews&FeaturesReferenceQuizzesSlideshowsBlogsVideosFindaPsychiatristADHDAnxiety&PanicDisordersBipolarDisorderCrisisAssistanceDepressionEatingDisordersHealth&BalancePersonalityDisordersPTSDSchizophreniaSocialMediaandMentalHealthStressManagementSubstanceAbuse&AddictionMoreRelatedTopicsMentalHealthReferenceMenuMedicallyReviewedbyDanyPaulBaby, MDonMay31,2022InthisArticleWhatDoesaCognitivePsychologistDo?TheHistoryofCognitivePsychologyCognitivePsychologyExamplesCognitivePsychologyPerspectiveinPracticeCareersinCognitivePsychologyCognitivepsychologyisthebranchofpsychologydedicatedtostudyinghowpeoplethink.Thecognitiveperspectiveinpsychologyfocusesonhowtheinteractionsofthinking,emotion,creativity,andproblem-solvingabilitiesaffecthowandwhyyouthinkthewayyoudo.Cognitivepsychologyattemptstomeasuredifferenttypesofintelligence,determinehowyouorganizeyourthoughts,andcomparedifferentcomponentsofcognition. WhatDoesaCognitivePsychologistDo?Cognitivepsychologistsdoclinicalresearch,training,education,andclinicalpractice.Theyusetheinsightsgainedfromstudyinghowpeoplethinkandprocessinformationtohelppeopledevelopnewwaysofdealingwithproblembehaviorsandlivebetterlives.Cognitivepsychologistshavespecialknowledgeofappliedbehavioranalysis,behaviortherapy,learningtheories,andemotionalprocessingtheories. Theyknowhowtoapplythisknowledgetothehumanconditionanduseitinthetreatmentof: AnxietydisordersAcademicperformancePersonalitydisordersSubstanceabuseDepressivedisordersRelationshipproblemsAutismspectrumdisorderTraumaEmotionalregulation TheHistoryofCognitivePsychologyCognitivepsychologygainedpopularityinthe1950sto1970sasresearchersbecamemoreinterestedinhowthinkingaffectsbehavior.Thisperiodiscalledthe"cognitiverevolution"andrepresentedashiftinthinkingandfocusforpsychologists.Beforethistime,thebehavioristapproachdominatedpsychology.Thebehavioristsonlystudiedexternalbehaviorthatcouldbemeasured.Behavioristsbelieveditwaspointlesstotrytostudythemindbecausetherewasnowaytoseeorobjectivelymeasurewhathappenedinsomeone'sthoughts.Themindwasseenasablackboxthatcouldn'tbemeasured. Thecognitiveapproachgaverisetotheideathatinternalmentalbehaviorcouldbestudiedusingexperiments.Cognitivepsychologyassumesthatthereisaninternalprocessthatoccursbetweenwhenastimulushappensandwhenyourespondtoit.Theseprocessesarecalledmediationalprocessesandcaninvolvememory,perception,attention,problem-solving,orotherprocesses.Cognitivepsychologistsbelieveifyouwanttounderstandbehavior,youhavetounderstandthemediationalprocessesthatcauseit.CognitivePsychologyExamplesSomeexamplesofstudiesandworkincognitivepsychologyinclude: Expertsthinkdifferently.Beginnersthinkliterallywhentheytrytosolveaproblem.Theytendtofocusonthesurfacedetailswhenthey'representedwithanunfamiliarsituation.Expertsareabletoseetheunderlyingconnectionsandthinkoftheproblemmoreabstractly. Short-termmemory.Yourshort-termmemoryisprobablyalotshorterthanyouthink.Aclassicstudyincognitivepsychologyfoundthatparticipantsinastudycouldonlyrecall10%ofrandomthree-letterstringsafter18seconds.After3seconds,theparticipantscouldrecall80%oftheletterstrings,sotherewasasignificantdropafter15additionalseconds. Mappingthebrain.SomecognitivepsychologistsareworkingontheBRAIN(BrainResearchthroughAdvancingInnovativeNeurotechnologies)Initiative.Thisprojecthasbeencomparedtothehumangenomeproject.It'sanattempttolearnmoreaboutthe100billionbraincells,includingtheconnectionsbetweenthemandhowtheyrelatetobehaviorandhealth.CognitivePsychologyPerspectiveinPracticeCognitivepsychologyperspectivescanbeusedtoimprovemanyareasoflife,includinghowchildrenlearn.ResearchersPoojaK.AgarwalandHenryL.RoedigerIIIusedinsightsfromtheircognitivepsychologystudiestodevelopbetterpracticestoencouragelearningintheclassroom.Theyusedexperimentstodeterminehowstudentslearnandapplytheirknowledgeaswellasdisproveoutdatedtheories. Expertsusedtobelievethatmemorycouldbeimprovedwithpractice,atheorythathasbeendisproven.Anotherpopulartheorythathasbeendebunkedisthaterrorsinterferewithlearning.Theoppositeisactuallytrue.Youlearnfromyourmistakes,somakingerrorsimprovesyourabilitytolearn.Whilemosteducatorshavemovedbeyondthosetheories,therearestillsomeunprovenonesthatlinger,likethenotionthatdifferentpeoplehavedifferentlearningstyles. Inadditiontodisprovingtheoriesthatdon'twork,cognitivepsychologyshinesalightontheoriesthatdowork.Aftercombingthroughover100yearsofstudies,researchersfoundfourdifferentpracticesthatincreasedstudents'abilitytolearn: Retrievalpractice,whichisquicklybringingtheinformationyou'relearningtomindGettingfeedbackthatletsyouknowwhatyoudon'tknowSpacedpractice,whichisreturningtothematerialperiodicallyovertimeInterleaving,whichispracticingamixofskillsCareersinCognitivePsychologyCognitivepsychologistscanworkatuniversitiesdoingresearchorteaching.Theycanalsoworkintheprivatesectorinorganizationalpsychology,softwaredevelopment,orhuman-computerinteraction.Anotheroptionforcognitivepsychologistsisworkinginaclinicalsettingtreatingpatientsforissuesrelatedtomentalprocesses,like: Alzheimer'sdiseaseSpeechproblemsMemoryissuesSensorydifficultiesYoucanworkinsomeentry-leveljobswithabachelor'sdegreeincognitivepsychology,butmostopportunitieswillbeavailabletopeoplewithamaster'sordoctoratedegree.Mostresearchdonebypeoplewithmaster'sdegreesissupervisedbycognitivepsychologistswithdoctoratedegrees. TipsforLivingWithOCDPsychoticvs.Psychopathic:What'stheDifference?MSandDepression:HowAreTheyLinked?AlcoholWithdrawalSymptomsVisualGuidetoBingeEatingDIsorderFeelingAnxious?GettheScooponGADWhatIsDepression?Differencesbetweenfeelingdepressedorfeelingblue.MoodSwings?ItCouldBeBipolarDisorderSignsofmaniaanddepression.UnderstandingSchizophreniaCauses,symptoms,andtherapies.BingeEatingDisorder:AnOverviewWhenfoodcontrolsyou.Article8DepressionTreatmentTipsArticleCurbingCompulsiveOvereatingSlideshowPhobias:WhatAreYouAfraidOf?ArticleHowMarijuanaAffectsYouArticleTypesofMentalIllness 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