Kognition

Kognition refers to the mental processes by which knowledge is acquired, processed, stored, and used. It encompasses perception, attention, memory, language, reasoning, problem solving, and decision making, as well as higher-order executive functions that regulate thought and behavior. The term is widely used in psychology, cognitive neuroscience, and philosophy, reflecting the study of how information is represented and transformed in the mind. While related to consciousness, cognition focuses on the mechanisms of processing rather than merely what one is aware of.

Research in Kognition relies on multiple approaches, including experimental psychology, neuroimaging, and computational modeling. The information-processing view likens cognition to a system that receives inputs, stores information, and produces outputs, whereas connectionist or neural-network models emphasize distributed representations across networks. Dual-process theories describe two modes of thinking: fast, automatic processes (System 1) and slower, deliberate reasoning (System 2). Cognitive architectures such as ACT-R and Soar aim to simulate skill acquisition, memory, and problem solving within structured tasks.

Key components include perceptual processing that interprets sensory input; working memory that holds and manipulates information; long-term memory that stores knowledge and experiences; language as a symbolic system for communication and thought; attention that selects relevant information; and executive functions that coordinate goals, planning, inhibition, and cognitive flexibility. Social cognition addresses how people interpret others’ intentions and emotions, while metacognition involves monitoring and regulating one’s own thinking processes.

Applications of cognitive study span education, clinical psychology, human–computer interaction, and artificial intelligence. Understanding cognition supports strategies for learning, diagnosis and treatment of cognitive disorders, design of user interfaces, and the development of adaptive technologies. Research continues to explore cognition across development, aging, and variation due to experience or pathology.