Cognitive Psychology, 1st edition

Published by Pearson (25 April 2025) © 2025

  • Gabriel A Radvansky University of Notre Dame
  • Mark H. Ashcraft University of Nevada, Las Vegas
  • Antonia Ypsilanti Sheffield Hallam University
  • Lambros Lazuras University of Lincoln

Cognitive Psychology

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In this eTextbook — More ways to learn

  • More support. Get AI help with personalised summaries, instant explanations, and quick translations.
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  • More interactive. Learn through audio, video, and practice.
  • More memorable. Study better with notes, highlights, and flashcards.
Products list
£33.99
Instant access

In this eTextbook — More ways to learn

  • More support. Get AI help with personalised summaries, instant explanations, and quick translations.
  • More flexible. Start learning right away, on any device.
  • More interactive. Learn through audio, video, and practice.
  • More memorable. Study better with notes, highlights, and flashcards.

Title overview

For students studying Cognitive Psychology, Cognition or Brain and Behaviour courses.

Cognitive Psychology provides an intuitive pathway through the core topics and concepts required by the British Psychological Society. The psychology of human memory and cognition is fascinating, covering questions and ideas such as how we think, reason, remember, and use language. Balancing classic research with new, cutting edge topics, this is the perfect introduction to Cognitive Psychology.

Table of contents

  • 1 Understanding Cognitive Psychology
  • 1.1 Thinking about thinking
  • 1.2 Memory and Cognition Defined
  • 1.3 An Introductory History of Cognitive Psychology
  • 1.4 Cognitive Psychology and Information Processing
  • 1.5 Measuring Information Processes
  • 1.6 The Standard Theory and Cognitive Science
  • 1.7 Themes of Human Cognition
  • 2 Neural Basis of Cognition
  • 2.1 The Brain and Cognition Together
  • 2.2 Basic Neural Functions
  • 2.3 Important Brain Structures and Function
  • 2.4 Cognitive Neuropsychology
  • 2.5 Connectionism
  • 3 Sensation and Perception
  • 3.1 Psychophysics
  • 3.2 Visual Sensation and Perception
  • 3.3 Pattern Recognition
  • 3.4 Top-Down Processing
  • 3.5 Object Recognition and Agnosia
  • 3.6 Auditory Sensation and Perception
  • 4 Attention
  • 4.1 Multiple Meanings of Attention
  • 4.2 Basic Input Attentional Processes
  • 4.3 Controlled, Voluntary Attention
  • 4.4 Attention as a Mental Resource
  • 5 Short-Term and Working Memory
  • 5.1 A Limited-Capacity Bottleneck
  • 5.2 Short-Term Memory Retrieval
  • 5.3 Working Memory
  • 5.4 Assessing Working Memory
  • 5.5 Working Memory and Cognition
  • 6 Learning and Remembering
  • 6.1 Preliminary Issues
  • 6.2 Storing Information in Episodic Memory
  • 6.3 Boosting Episodic Memory
  • 6.4 Context
  • 6.5 Facts and Situation Models
  • 6.6 Autobiographical Memories
  • 6.7 Memory for the Future
  • 6.8 Semantic Memory
  • 7 Memory and Forgetting
  • 7.1 The Seven Sins of Memory
  • 7.2 Forgetting Through Decay and Interference
  • 7.3 False Memories, Eyewitness Memory, and 'Forgotten Memories'
  • 7.4 Amnesia and Implicit Memory
  • 8 Language
  • 8.1 Linguistic Universals and Functions
  • 8.2 Phonology
  • 8.3 Syntax
  • 8.4 Lexical Factors
  • 8.5 Semantics
  • 8.6 Brain and Language
  • 9 Language Comprehension
  • 9.1 Conceptual and Rule Knowledge
  • 9.2 Reading
  • 9.3 Reference, Situation Models, and Events
  • 9.4 Conversation and Gesture
  • 10 Reasoning and Decision-making
  • 10.1 Formal Logic and Reasoning
  • 10.2 Decisions
  • 10.3 Classic Heuristics, Biases, and Fallacies
  • 10.4 Framing and Risky Decisions
  • 10.5 Adaptive Thinking and 'Fast and Frugal' Heuristics
  • 10.6 Other Explanations
  • 10.7 Limitations in Reasoning
  • 11 Problem-solving
  • 11.1 Studying Problem-solving
  • 11.2 Basics of Problem-solving
  • 11.3 Gestalt Psychology and Problem-solving
  • 11.4 Insight and Analogy
  • 11.5 Means–End Analysis
  • 11.6 Improving Your Problem-solving
  • 12 Social cognition
  • 12.1 The Neural Basis of Social Cognition
  • 12.2 Understanding the self
  • 12.3 Understanding Others: Mentalising and Empathising
  • 12.4 Responding to Adverse Social Signals
  • 13 Cognition and Emotion
  • 13.1 What Is Emotion?
  • 13.2 Emotion and Perception
  • 13.3 Emotion and Memory
  • 13.4 Emotion and Language
  • 13.5 Emotion and Decision Making
  • 14 Research Methods in Human Cognition
  • 14.1 Purpose of Research Methods in Cognitive Psychology
  • 14.2. Reaction-Time Based Tasks
  • 14.3 Visual search tasks
  • 14.4. Neurophysiological Methods
  • 14.5 Neuroimaging and Brain Stimulation Methods
  • 14.6 Research Integrity and Ethics

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