Cognitive psychology is a diverse and immersive branch of psychology that handles the mental processes that occur in the brain, such as thinking, attention, language, learning, memory, and perception, which makes it a crucial part of our everyday lives.
Cognitive psychologists, sometimes called brain scientists, study how the human mind works, think, remember, and learn. They apply psychological science to understand how we perceive events and make decisions. They diagnose things like Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, amnesia, aphasia, and some attention disorders.
Crucial factors of cognitive psychology are perception and attention. Perception is defined as the cognitive activity through which humans become aware of their environment, receive, and interpret information around them. According to the AP/A Psychology teacher Mrs. Orlando, “if you think about it, your [predetermined] perception of things influences your perception; your biology influences how you’re going perceive things, [and] your perception is going to influence how your brain makes sense of the physical information coming in.”
It’s a common mistake that vision and perception are the same. Though they are related, vision occurs in the eye, whereas perception occurs in the brain. This may sound simple, but it is much more complex. Our perception, visual and auditory stimuli, is influenced by a mix of attention, past experiences, expectations, and the environment around us. Biological factors like age, fatigue, or neural wiring also play a role. Additionally, context and sensory cues, like watching someone’s lip move while they speak, can dramatically alter how we interpret what we see and hear, showing that perception is an active, brain-driven process, not just passive reception of information.
Another key part of cognitive psychology is memory and learning. “We have different models on how [memory] works. The connection between the cognitive and actual biology part of it is really confusing, and they’re still trying to figure it out,” said Mrs. Orlando. There are many parts that come with memory and learning, such as how different types of memory (short-term, long-term, working memory) interact, and what techniques improve retention. An important aspect of memory is why we remember emotionally charged events more than ordinary ones.
Researchers identified a mechanism in the brain that tags information with emotional association for enhanced memory. High-frequency brain waves in the amygdala and hippocampus are critical for enhancing emotional memories. According to researchers at Neuroscience News, “electrical stimulation, which has a mixed history of either benefiting or diminishing memory depending on its usage, clearly and consistently impaired memory specifically for emotional words.”
Another important part of cognitive psychology is problem-solving and decision-making. This includes how people approach situations differently under stress, and how experts think distinctively from beginners in the same field. Individuals tackling a situation can also lead to cognitive bias.
Cognitive biases are much different from prejudice, so the terms should not be confused. We all have cognitive biases, which are caused by limits on the mind’s attention, individual motivations, mental shortcuts called heuristics, social pressure, and/or emotions.
According to VeryWell Mind, “a cognitive bias is a systematic error in thinking that occurs when people process and interpret information in their surroundings, influencing their decisions and judgments.” Cognitive biases can lead to distorted thinking, conspiracy theorist beliefs, and are often influenced by a multitude of factors.
An example of such is similarity bias. Similarity bias most commonly influences our decisions regarding people: who to befriend, who to avoid, who to confide in. Expedience bias causes humans to have a need for certainty. A downside of that is the tendency to rush to judgment without fully considering all the facts.
Language and thought also have a significant impact on cognitive psychology. This includes how people understand and process metaphors or abstract concepts, as well as what happens in the brain when we listen to or read language. Moreover, the language we speak shapes the way we think.
From how we perceive sights and sounds to how we remember, solve problems, and make decisions, cognitive psychology uncovers the invisible forces shaping our minds. Understanding these processes isn’t just academic — it’s a window into what makes us who we are. Every thought, every decision, and every memory is a glimpse into the incredible machinery of the human brain.