Cognitive Psychology for Dummies

by Hills, Peter J.; Pake, Michael

• ISBN13: 9781119953210
• ISBN10: 1119953219
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2016-04-11
• Publisher: For Dummies

Summary

Cognitive psychology made easy An accessible and entertaining introduction to the field, Cognitive Psychology For Dummies follows a typical university course, which makes it the perfect supplement for students in need of a clear, accessible-and most importantly, enjoyable-overview of the topic. Having found most textbooks too dense and jargon-laden, the authors of this title demystify the core concepts of cognitive psychology and provide readers with the tools they need to succeed. Although written for psychology students, the book is also a handy resource for many lay readers The book is particularly helpful for people looking to understand the underlying concepts of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), a popular treatment for people suffering from anxiety and other psychological disorders Makes a complicated subject easy and fun for readers of all levels of experience A must-read for anyone looking to get a grasp on one of the core areas of psychology, Cognitive Psychology For Dummies is the easy-to-read book that finally makes cognitive psychology make sense.

Author Biography

Dr Peter J. Hills, PhD, is a principal lecturer and Head of Education in psychology at Bournemouth University. Dr J Michael Pake is a senior lecturer in Psychology at Anglia Ruskin University.

Table of Contents

Introduction 1

Part I: Getting Started with Cognitive Psychology 5

Chapter 1: Understanding Cognition: How You Think, See, Speak and Are! 7

Chapter 2: Studying Cognitive Psychology Means Studying the Everyday 19

Chapter 3: Improving Academic Performance with Cognitive Psychology 27

Part II: Attending to the Subtleties of Perception 41

Chapter 4: Perceiving the World around You 43

Chapter 5: Seeing How People See Depth and Colour 63

Chapter 6: Recognising Objects and People 81

Chapter 7: Atten‐hut! Paying Attention to Attention 99

Par t III: Minding Your Memory 115

Chapter 8: Where Did I Put My Keys? Short‐Term Memory 117

Chapter 9: You Don’t Remember Our Wedding Day? Long‐Term Memory 135

Chapter 10: Knowing about Knowledge 153

Chapter 11: Discovering Why You Forget Things 167

Chapter 12: Memorising in the Real World 179

Par t IV: Communicating What Your Brain Thinks about Language 191

Chapter 13: Communicating the Extraordinary Nature of Language 193

Chapter 14: Studying the Structure of Language 211

Chapter 15: Talking about Language Perception and Production 225

Chapter 16: Discovering the Links between Language and Thought 239

Part V: Thinking Your Way around Thought 253

Chapter 17: Uncovering How People Solve Problems 255

Chapter 18: Thinking Logically about Reasoning 267

Chapter 19: Making Up Your Mind: Decision-Making 281

Chapter 20: Thinking Clearly about the Role of Emotions 293

Par t VI: The Part of Tens 311

Chapter 21: Studying Patients with Brain Damage 313

Chapter 22: Ten Tips for Writing Successful Research Reports 321

Chapter 23: Busting Ten Cognitive Psychology Myths 329

Index 335