Kognitívpszichológia

Kognitívpszichológia is a branch of psychology that studies mental processes. It investigates how people perceive, think, remember, learn, solve problems, and use language. This field emerged in the mid-20th century as a reaction to behaviorism, which focused solely on observable behaviors. Cognitive psychologists, in contrast, believe that internal mental states are crucial for understanding human action.

Key areas of study within cognitive psychology include attention, perception, memory (both short-term and long-term), language acquisition and processing, decision-making, and problem-solving. Researchers often use experimental methods to infer mental processes by measuring performance on specific tasks. For instance, memory experiments can reveal how information is encoded, stored, and retrieved.

The cognitive revolution brought about significant advancements in our understanding of the mind. It has influenced various other fields, including artificial intelligence, education, and clinical psychology. For example, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) draws heavily on principles of cognitive psychology to help individuals change maladaptive thought patterns. The ongoing research in kognitívpszichológia continues to shed light on the complexities of human cognition.