Cognition
Cognition is the totality of mental processes related to receiving, processing, remembering and using information.
Definition
Cognition includes attention, perception, memory, language, reasoning, decision-making, and problem solving. Thanks to cognitive processes, a person interprets situations and chooses actions. It is not a single mechanism, but a complex set of interacting functions.
Key ideas
- Information processing
- Attention, memory and thinking
- Interpretation of the situation
Practice and life
When dealing with a difficult problem, separate: what I see, what I interpret, what I remember and what decision I make from it.
Common misconceptions
It is a mistake to assume that we see reality directly. Most experience passes through the filter of attention, memory and interpretation.
> Cognition is the way the mind organizes contact with the world.
> — Guru Element
Questions for self-reflection
- What cognitive processes are most burdened here?
- Am I reacting to fact or to interpretation?
- How can I improve the quality of my input data?