Cognitive Psychology: The Basics

Cognitive Psychology: The Basics provides a compact introduction to the core topics in the field, discussing the science behind the everyday cognitive phenomena experienced by us all. The book considers laboratory and applied theory and research alongside technological developments to demonstrate how our understanding of the brain’s role in cognition is improving all the time.

Alongside coverage of traditional topics in the field, including attention and perception; learning and memory; thinking, problem-solving and decision-making; and language, the book also discusses developments in interrelated areas, such as neuroscience and computational cognitive science. New perspectives, including the contribution of evolutionary psychology to our understanding of cognition are also considered before a thoughtful discussion of future research directions. Using real-world examples throughout, the authors explain in an accessible and student-friendly manner the role our human cognition plays in all aspects of our lives.

It is an essential introductory text suitable for all students of Cognitive Psychology and related disciplines. It will also be an ideal read for any reader interested in the role of the brain in human behavior.

Sandie Taylor is an experienced lecturer and author. Her DPhil in cognitive psychology focused on memory, in particular face recognition, and applied memory approaches to facilitate recognition of faces. She has previously published 4 books and many peer reviewed articles and book chapters.

Lance Workman is Visiting Professor of Psychology at the University of South Wales. He was formally Head of Psychology at Bath Spa University. Lance has published widely in psychology including over 100 articles and 9 books. For 7 years he was interviews editor for ’The Psychologist’ and regularly appears in the media.