Cognitive Pillar Overview & Themes

In this section, we will learn all about memory and cognitive processes. In my opinion, there is no more important topic in a psychological science course. Our memories and our cognitive skills make us who we are. You will discover the basic building blocks of human memory, how memories are stored, recalled, and organized, and learn some ways that memory fails us. You will also discover limits of attention, some well-known problem-solving techniques, ways that “quick” thinking (heuristics) can help us make decisions and sometimes lead us astray, and a brief overview of language use. While reading the content in these chapters, try to find examples of material that can fit with the themes of the course.

To get us started:

• Psychological science relies on empirical evidence and adapts as new data develop.
  • When we first started investigating attention, attention theories were establishd because they explain specific phenomena such as the cocktail party effect. However, as more studies about attention were published, these theories began to become outdated and not applicable to other findings. Now, we consider attention as a limited resource, something that an “attentional filter” cannot fully explain.
• Psychology explains general principles that govern behavior while recognizing individual differences.
  • Understanding long term memory (LTM) is like trying to understand the universe! We have a seemingly endless amount of research dedicated to LTM, particularly episodic memory, because these memories encompass the detail-rich experiences of our unique lives. Foundational principles of long term memory include: permanent storage, parallel processing, and context. Additionally, we know rehearsal strengthens LTM and that sleep also enhances these memories through consolidation. Some individuals have better recollection than others, due to individual variation, and that is completely normal!
• Our perceptions and biases filter experiences of the world through an imperfect personal lens.
  • Have you ever met someone who was scared to travel in an airplane? What about in a car? Especially after 9/11, people were scared of air travel. Data does not support this fear, as the people who perish in car accidents greatly outnumbers airplane crash victims. Our unique experiences (usually no major car accidents) make us less frightened to ride in a car! This imperfection is helpful most of the time: we shouldn’t be too scared to go to work or to vacation.