You may also have used decision making another cognitive process if you tried to estimate how long it would take you to read this syllabus. Cognitive psychology is sometimes used as a synonym for the word cognition, which refers to a variety of mental activities involving the acquisition, storage, transformation, and use of knowledge. Cognitive psychology can also be used to describe a particular theoretical approach to psychology. The cognitive approach is a theoretical orientation that emphasizes mental structures and processes. This course will explore a number of mental processes, including perception, memory, imagery, language, problem solving, creativity, reasoning, and decision making.
Cognition occupies a major portion of the study of human psychology.
You own an impressive piece of equipment your mind and you use this equipment every minute of every day. In a sense, consider this course an owner s manual, describing what is known about how your mind works. This course also contains hints on how to improve your cognitive performance. Therefore, the Brain Bag will be passed around weekly so that each of you has the opportunity to submit questions or comments for subsequent discussion in class or on an individual basis. If I am notified in advance, a make-up exam will be scheduled at my convenience.