Fundamentals of Cognition - Softcover

Eysenck, Michael

3.72

67 ratings by Goodreads

9781841693743: Fundamentals of Cognition

Softcover

ISBN 10: 184169374X ISBN 13: 9781841693743

Publisher: Psychology Press, 2006

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How come some people always remember a face?

Is it really possible to do two things at once?

Fundamentals of Cognition is a clear and reader-friendly introduction that will help students understand and answer these kinds of questions. Taking his cue from modern cognitive psychology, and drawing from coverage in his previous book, Principles of Cognitive Psychology, 2nd Edition, which this book replaces, Mike Eysenck explores the key processes that allow us to make sense of the world around us. Whether we are aware of their workings or not, our abilities in attention, perception, learning, memory, language, problem solving, thinking and reasoning all help us to make decisions about how to cope with everyday life. This book takes a close look at all the relevant key findings and issues. It also offers accessible explanations of the more complex debates which spring up around them.

Fundamentals of Cognition guides students through all the classic topics in cognitive psychology. New research from approaches in cognitive science and cognitive neuroscience is integrated and evaluated in a lively (but systematic) approach. The book provides a broad overview of current thinking and a thorough evaluation of the various theoretical approaches to basic cognitive processes. Written with introductory-level students in mind, it can be read easily by those with no previous knowledge of cognitive psychology. However, it also includes directions for more detailed and advanced study.

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Review:

"The chapters provide an excellent coverage of the different areas within cognitive psychology: not only are the traditional areas dealt with (memory, perception, language) but also areas which are often overlooked by comparable textbooks (human judgement, decision-making). This text is an excellent source for students of cognitive psychology who are looking for an introduction to the field and a broad summary of research issues that exist within it. Eysenck has a reputation for accessible writing and this text does not disappoint. The chapters are well structured and clear, I enjoyed the writing style which was informative and readable; jargon was clearly explained." - John Parkinson, Lecturer in Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, University of Wales Bangor, UK

"Cognition - the study of the basic mental processes which underlie behaviour - has developed a powerful and elegant set of methods and models since its beginnings forty or so years ago. Eysenck's exceptionally readable book covers the core topics of perception, memory, language, reasoning, and so on, organised around everyday questions such as 'how do we perceive depth?', 'why do we forget?', and 'how do cognition and emotion interact?' This stimulating and comprehensive text will engage anyone interested in learning how the mind works." - David R. Shanks, University College London, UK

"Eysenck's state-of-the-art account of findings and theories in cognitive psychology does an excellent job of conveying the excitement of research, and of relating the ideas to everyday experience. Written in an engaging personal style, the book provides a clear and accessible introduction to current work in the area, with balanced examples drawn from experiments, clinical cases, computer simulations and cutting-edge brain imaging research." - Fergus Craik, Senior Scientist, Rotman Research Institute, Toronto, Canada

From the Back Cover:

Cognitive psychology is a large and expanding area within psychology as a whole. However, there are certain topics, such as perception, memory, language and reasoning, which are generally regarded as being of fundamental importance. It is this central core of cognitive psychology which is the focus of this book. If you have ever wondered how we perceive the world, or use language, or remember information, then this book provides intriguing insights into how we perform these, and other, complicated activities. This book provides an up-to-date approach to cognitive psychology, but with a particular emphasis on accessibility and clarity of style. As a consequence, the book can be read easily by anyone interested in cognitive psychology even if they do not possess any previous knowledge of the subject.

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