In cognitive psychology, which statement best reflects the relationship between cognition and learning?

• A. Cognition occurs only in humans, whereas learning occurs only in animals.
• B. They are the same thing and can be used interchangeably in all contexts.
• C. Cognition refers to mental processes (e.g., attention, memory, reasoning), while learning refers to relatively enduring changes in knowledge or behavior that often result from experience.
• D. Learning only involves classical and operant conditioning, whereas cognition excludes memory and problem solving.

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the key terms involved. 'Cognition' refers to mental processes such as attention, memory, reasoning, and problem solving. These are the internal processes that allow us to acquire, process, and store information.
2. Step 2: Define 'learning' in psychological terms. Learning is typically described as a relatively enduring change in knowledge or behavior that results from experience. It reflects how individuals adapt based on what they have encountered.
3. Step 3: Analyze the relationship between cognition and learning. Cognition encompasses the mental activities that support learning, while learning is the outcome or change that occurs as a result of these cognitive processes.
4. Step 4: Evaluate the given statements by comparing them to these definitions. For example, the statement that cognition occurs only in humans is incorrect because many animals also exhibit cognitive processes. Similarly, cognition and learning are not the same and cannot be used interchangeably.
5. Step 5: Conclude that the best statement is the one that accurately distinguishes cognition as mental processes and learning as the enduring changes resulting from experience, reflecting their complementary but distinct roles in psychology.