Representation
Ask what information must be encoded for a task to be performed and how that representation constrains behavior.
Side 224Side Studies / Research
Subject
Cognitive Psychology
Purpose
Mental processing studied through attention, memory, language, reasoning and decision tasks that infer representations from behavior.
Structure
05 movesMechanism mapV0
Entities → interactions → mechanisms → scales → measurement
Infer hidden processes from controlled behavior.
Cognitive psychology builds models of internal processing by manipulating information and measuring errors, timing and choices rather than directly observing thoughts.
Attention & control
Study selection, interference and executive control through limited-capacity tasks and competing demands.
Memory systems
Separate encoding, storage and retrieval while distinguishing working, episodic, semantic and procedural functions.
Reasoning & judgment
Use problem-solving and decision tasks to test algorithms, heuristics and representational limits.
Model comparison
Compare process models by their quantitative predictions, error patterns and transfer across tasks.
Keep the boundaries visible.
reaction time ≠ one cognitive process
task performance ≠ single ability
model fit ≠ mechanism proven
Questions that organize the Side.
What behavioral signature would distinguish two competing process models?
Which laboratory tasks measure a general process versus task-specific strategy?
How should cognitive models change when neural evidence conflicts with behavioral interpretation?
What should carry weight here?
Experimental manipulation and model comparison carry more weight than task labels; replication and converging paradigms are needed before treating a measure as a stable cognitive construct.