What is Cognitive Psychology?

Very little is needed to make a happy life; it is all within yourself, in your way of thinking. Marcus Aurelius

The processes and states involved in knowing, which, put together, include judgement and perception, is known as cognition. Cognition involves all unconscious and conscious ways by which knowledge is acquired, such as conceiving, reasoning, remembering, perceiving and recognising. In essence, cognition comes into play every time we use our minds in daily activities, such as talking, reading, studying, cooking or making jokes.

But, what do we know about how the human brain makes use of its powers of cognition?

Psychologists have, for decades, continually been working on neuroscience methods and the cognitive approach to teaching and learning.

Let’s not procrastinate and, rather, dive right into the deep and answer the question: what is cognitive psychology?

Psychology and the Cognitive Approach

Since psychology is such a broad discipline, it has been split into various sub-disciplines to allow students to make sense of the numerous topics encountered. This makes it easier to get students to take in psychological information, without feeling overwhelmed. Also, because psychology is divided into various branches, experts can isolate one and further their knowledge on one or other specific topic .

As mentioned earlier, cognitive psychology is one of the main branches of psychology. As a discipline, it sets out to understand human mental processes, such as attention, creativity, language use, memory, problem-solving, perception and reasoning.

A good deal of research done by psychologists, in the domain of cognitive approach psychology, is now in evidence in other psychology disciplines, as well as in totally different sectors, such as cognitive sciences, economics and linguistics.

The origins of cognitive psychology can be traced back to the 1950s, when psychologists sought to break away from behaviourism.

Cognitive science and cognitive psychology are somewhat related, although they have distinctly different characteristics. Cognitive approach psychology, for example, is more concerned with applied psychology and how human beings absorb, take in and process information. Many tests and trials are conducted with human beings.

But, cognitive science is a far wider-ranging subject, which doesn’t only deal with psychology, but also anthropology, artificial intelligence, linguistics, neuroscience and philosophy.

Psychologists have separated the various disciplines and theories of cognitive psychology to make it easier for 21^st century learners, like you and me, to understand.

Let's look at some of the theories of cognitive psychology.

Cognitive Psychology Theories

Brought to the fore by the work of some of the most splendid thinkers of the 20^th and 21^st centuries, the methods and theories of cognitive psychology are diverse.

All the theories put forward endeavour to answer questions surrounding the human brain and how people act as individuals.

There are several theories which are the subject of study of most psychologists and, below, we list the most recognisable and popular ones:

• Classical Conditioning Theory
• Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences
• Operant Conditioning Theory
• Piagetian Approach
• Sternberg’s Triarchic Theory of Intelligence.

Numerous studies and tests have been conducted, with both children and adults, to determine the accuracy of these theories.

Important aspects of cognitive psychology include:

• Attention
• Concept Formation
• Decision-Making
• Human Perception
• Language Processing
• Learning
• Memory
• Problem-Solving.

Taking cognisance of these aspects, a cognitive psychology revolution came about which led to a greater understanding of the human brain and how it works.

So, where can South African students learn more about the fascinating topic of cognitive psychology?

Where Can I Study Cognitive Psychology in SA?

If your appetite to learn more about cognitive psychology has been whet, you'll be happy to know that there are several part-time and full-time courses that you can enrol in.

If you’re considering part-time courses, you could explore the Internet for options, enrol yourself at the University of South Africa (UNISA) or occasionally take lessons with a professional psychology tutor.

The most popular for students, however, is to enrol at a university to study cognitive psychology.

Below we cast an eye on the cognitive psychology degree courses of two highly-regarded universities in South Africa:

• The University of Cape Town (UCT): the Department of Psychology at UCT is regarded as one of the strongest in SA in terms of research output. In 2015, it was the only psychology department in Africa that was ranked in the top 200 QS World University Rankings. The psych department prepares research- and clinical-based post-graduate programmes. UCT’s undergraduate programme is recognised internationally and many graduates of the programme have gone on to complete post-grad studies at universities around the globe. The department’s courses cover four main areas of expertise: Clinical Psychology, Developmental Psychology, Social Psychology and Cognitive and Neuropsychology. These courses are all taught by internationally recognised and published experts in their relevant areas. Currently, the Department has, as staff, three of SA’s top five psychologists as ranked by the National Research Foundation.
• The University of the Witwatersrand: Placement in a masters programme hinges on three criteria – an under-grad degree in Psychology, excellent marks at third-year psychology level, and the principle of equality. Cognitive Neuroscience (PSYC40007A) is one of three electives which students can choose. Selected areas of human behaviour, such as memory, emotional and social functioning and executive functioning will be studied from an integrated perspective which unites cognitive psychology and neuropsychology. The course takes the form of weekly seminars,  with the first four presented by a lecturer or guest lecturer. The remaining seminars are structured as class group presentations on selected topics. Several “class outings” take in activities such as the observation of brain dissection and a visit to a neuro-imaging centre.

What Are the Best Cognitive Psychology Reads?

Even if you’ve embarked on a degree course in cognitive psychology, it’s a good idea for students to supplement their studies with alternative resources, such as videos, flashcards and non-fiction books.

Since we live in an information age, the number of options available to students is often overwhelming. To make matters easier for you, we have compiled a list of excellent books on cognitive psychology to enhance your understanding of the discipline:

• Blink: Written by the celebrated psychologist Malcolm Gladwell, Blink is an eye-opening read which takes a look at the number of unconscious decisions we take daily, without giving them too much thought. Blink will make you evaluate every decision you will ever make!
• Cognitive Psychology: Having received great reviews from many trusted websites, Mark T. Keane’s Cognitive Psychology examines the fundamentals of cognitive psychology in a straightforward way that makes it enjoyable and readable for all kinds of people.
• Thinking, Fast and Slow: Daniel Kahneman’s Thinking, Fast and Slow is considered to be one of the best psychology books ever written. It is a terrific read and a wonderful introduction to cognitive psychology. In this book, Kahneman examines two kinds of thinking, Type 1 and Type 2. The former is very fast, emotional and instinctive, while the latter is slower, more logical and more deliberate. The peculiarities, of the different forms of thinking, are explored across 499 fascinating pages.
• Mistakes Were Made: In their book Mistakes Were Made (But Not By Me), psychologists Elliot Aronson and Carol Tavris delve into social psychology, with links to cognitive psychology. Cognitive bias and cognitive dissonance are explored through theories and events that occurred in real life.

There you have it: four great books on cognitive psychology by some of the best cognitive psychologists to spruce up your reading list!

How About Hiring a Cognitive Psychology Tutor?

Whether cognitive psychology is part of your degree studies or you are merely growing your knowledge of particular topics as an inquisitive adult, it’s worth mentioning that you may require some assistance with topics encountered in cognitive psychology. So, you should consider using the services of a professional, private psychology tutor.

But, where to look and how?

You could start your search on the Superprof website, where you’ll be presented with a host of cognitive psychology tutors who offer lessons online or in-person. There are hundreds of cognitive psychology tutors available on the site, and they are located in SA and across the world.

It is a strong recommendation from us that you check out the various tutors’ profiles to find one whose teaching style is in sync with your learning style and goals.

Here are just some of the reasons you might want to reach out to a Superprof tutor:

• Affordable hourly tuition
• The option of either online or in-person tutoring sessions
• A variety of psychology tutors with different styles and experience
• Most tutors offer the first session at no cost to the student!

In conclusion, a study of cognitive psychology puts us in a better position to make sense of our own motives and of individuals around us. Taking time to engage in such a study of psychology will, no doubt, contribute towards making us more balanced people.