Cognition

High school (ages 12+)
Thinking & Learning

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/cognition

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the foundational cognitive functions?Perception, attention, memory, language, reasoning, and problem-solving
2. What is the interdisciplinary nature?Cognitive science draws from psychology, neuroscience, computer science, linguistics, and philosophy
3. What does the brain do when we learn something new?The brain uses memory and attention to store new information, turning sensory data into meaningful ideas.
4. How does the brain remember things?Memory systems like short-term and long-term memory encode, store, and retrieve information.

Executive Functions: Higher-level cognitive processes that control and regulate other cognitive abilities and behaviors, such as planning and inhibition.
Cognitive Load: The total amount of mental effort being used in the working memory.
Computational Models of Cognition: Theoretical frameworks that use computer programs to simulate and explain cognitive processes.