In cognitive psychology, automatic processing and effortful processing involve two types of which mental function?

• A. Conditioning
• B. Reinforcement
• C. Sensory adaptation
• D. Encoding

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the key terms in the question: 'automatic processing' and 'effortful processing'. These terms are related to how information is handled mentally.
2. Recall that in cognitive psychology, 'automatic processing' refers to unconscious, fast, and effortless mental activities, while 'effortful processing' involves conscious, deliberate, and slower mental activities.
3. Understand that both automatic and effortful processing are types of 'encoding', which is the mental function responsible for transforming sensory input into a form that can be stored in memory.
4. Eliminate other options: 'Conditioning' and 'Reinforcement' relate to learning processes, and 'Sensory adaptation' refers to changes in sensory sensitivity, not types of mental processing.
5. Conclude that the correct mental function involving automatic and effortful processing is 'encoding', as it explains how information is initially recorded in the brain.