Which of the following statements is true of cognitive psychologists?

• A. They study mental processes such as perception, memory, and problem-solving.
• B. They believe that unconscious motives are the primary drivers of human behavior.
• C. They are primarily concerned with the effects of reinforcement and punishment on behavior.
• D. They focus exclusively on observable behaviors and avoid studying internal mental states.

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the role of cognitive psychologists. Cognitive psychology is the branch of psychology that studies internal mental processes such as perception, memory, thinking, and problem-solving.
2. Step 2: Review the options given and identify which aligns with the focus of cognitive psychology. For example, studying unconscious motives is more related to psychoanalytic theory, not cognitive psychology.
3. Step 3: Recognize that the study of reinforcement and punishment is central to behaviorism, which differs from cognitive psychology's focus on mental processes.
4. Step 4: Note that cognitive psychologists do not focus exclusively on observable behaviors; instead, they investigate internal mental states, which are crucial to understanding cognition.
5. Step 5: Conclude that the statement 'They study mental processes such as perception, memory, and problem-solving' correctly describes cognitive psychologists.