From a psychological perspective, the term cognition means ________.

• A. the emotional responses to external stimuli
• B. the physical actions performed by an individual
• C. the genetic inheritance of behavioral traits
• D. the mental processes involved in acquiring, processing, and storing knowledge

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that cognition refers to the mental processes that are involved in how we acquire, process, and store information.
2. Recognize that cognition includes activities such as thinking, memory, problem-solving, perception, and language comprehension.
3. Differentiate cognition from emotional responses, which relate to feelings rather than mental processing of information.
4. Distinguish cognition from physical actions, which are behaviors rather than mental processes.
5. Note that cognition is not about genetic inheritance but about the active mental functions that allow us to understand and interact with the world.