cognitive psychology

American  

noun

1. the branch of psychology studying the mental processes involved in perception, learning, memory, and reasoning.

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cognitive psychology British  

noun

1. the psychological study of higher mental processes, including thinking and perception

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Etymology

Origin of cognitive psychology

First recorded in 1945–50

Example Sentences

This is sometimes called the “desirable difficulty” principle, and it’s one of the most robust findings in cognitive psychology.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026

The Psychology of Memory uses research based on cognitive psychology to increase understanding of all types of memory and their impact.

From Science Daily • May 1, 2024

"Those insights had a profound effect on linguistics and cognitive psychology," Terrace concluded to Columbia University.

From Salon • Jun. 25, 2023

“Showcase how your start-up combines A.I. with other fields, such as cognitive psychology, linguistics or neuroscience, to create innovative solutions,” ChatGPT said.

From New York Times • Mar. 29, 2023

There is a concept in cognitive psychology called the channel capacity, which refers to the amount of space in our brain for certain kinds of information.

From "The Tipping Point" by Malcolm Gladwell