Principles of Cognition: Finding Minds

by Eduardo Mercado

Overview

A comprehensive overview of what psychologists now know about the nature of cognition

Principles of Cognition provides students with an invaluable introduction to the modern science of cognition, blending invaluable insights from behavioral and neuroscientific studies of humans and other animals with unique examples, cutting-edge research summaries, and real-world applications. This accessible textbook builds on the legacy of psychologist William James by emphasizing not only the form cognition takes in laboratory research but also the functional dynamics of cognitive processes in everyday life and the ways they vary across individuals and species. Using an integrative approach that highlights the relevance of cognition across psychological disciplines, it engages students by showing how cognition emerges over time, how cognitive abilities can be improved, and how thinking can be upended by something as simple as falling in love.

• Discusses topics in cognition rarely covered by other textbooks, including perception of time and space, consciousness, animal cognition, mathematical and reading skills, emotions, intelligence, generalization, and social cognition
• Emphasizes learning and its interactions with memory and cognition
• Features practical applications from cognitive research in every chapter
• Connects topics across chapters to promote retention and critical thinking
• Draws on the latest experimental, naturalistic, and applied research
• Integrates findings about animals and children with traditional studies of adults to develop a more neurally grounded framework for thinking about the mechanisms of cognition
• An ideal textbook for undergraduate and graduate classrooms

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780691271071
Publisher:	Princeton University Press
Publication date:	08/20/2024
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	592
File size:	169 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Eduardo Mercado III is professor of psychology and of ecology, evolution, and behavior at the University at Buffalo, State University of New York, where he is director of the Center for Cognitive Science. He is the author (with Mark A. Gluck and Catherine E. Myers) of Learning and Memory: From Brain to Behavior.

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

“Mercado has clearly thought deeply about this field and integrated it into a cohesive whole, and he has done so with joyful enthusiasm. Principles of Cognition is an invitation to take a deep dive into the subject and experience the same joy and excitement.”—Martin van den Berg, California State University, Chico

“This interdisciplinary textbook includes topics in genetics, engineering, evolution, and comparative cognition, and discusses subjects not covered in other texts, which enriches students’ experiences in cognitive psychology. The writing is engaging, with relevant examples and a nice interplay between applied topics and basic science.”—Alexandra Morrison, California State University, Sacramento

“Mercado provides historical grounding while bringing the coverage into the modern applied realm—including students’ own lives. He connects topics in a coherent manner, both in terms of research and memorable real-world examples, and the integration of the neural and cognitive levels is invaluable.”—Justin Hulbert, Bard College

“This well-written text provides a focused approach to behavioral processes and I like that chapters have both brain-based and applied explorations of cognition. It has a very conversational, engaging tone that I know students will appreciate and value.”—Molly Zimmerman, Fordham University

Editorial Reviews

"Winner of the Most Promising New Textbook Award, Textbook & Academic Authors Association"

From the Publisher