Cognitive psychology is a scientific study that focuses on the mind as an information processor (Cagney & Lauderdale, 2002). It makes use of the information processing cognitive models of the human mind which includes perception, language, attention, thinking, memory and consciousness. This perspective became popular in the mid-1950's following advanced experimental methods, the limitations of the behavioral approach in focusing on external behavior rather than internal processes and the need to compare the human mind and the computer on information processing. It thus enabled people to understand the human information processing through strictly controlled laboratory tests, with the assumptions that meditational processes occur between stimuli and response, psychology is a scientific study and that humans are information processors. A person’s cognitive abilities are affected by factors such as schooling, wealth and household income, and in turn, the cognitive abilities determine an individual's capacity to conduct complex tasks such as multitasking.
Cognitive Psychology
A longitudinal study conducted on high school students in the U.S.A. to determine the relationship between behavior in school and a person’s later life achievements indicated that a person’s behavior in school indeed has a long time effect on their later lives as adults. According to Spengler & Roberts (2018), students who are responsible, have a great interest in school and have good writing and reading skills, have greater chances of having academic success, occupational prestige as well as high income when they grow older. The study took consideration of the different parental socio-economic status, student IQ and broad personality traits. A student’s characteristics and behavior during the adolescent stage indicate the likely future level of success in education and occupation notwithstanding the parental socio-economic status, IQ and broad personality traits. Students with a high interest in school developed equally high educational attainment, prestigious occupation and high income later in life. Responsible students developed higher educational attainment and occupational prestige. This shows how important early school years are in one's life. What they do during this phase in their lives regarding their participation and responses to various stimuli significantly affects their achievements as adults. Also, events in one’s life cannot be overlooked as the past, because they may have the potential to affect a person's future.
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Among the importance of cognitive abilities is to enable a person to carry out complex tasks such as multitasking. A person can conduct different actions consecutively with ease by using past knowledge in a current context while planning future actions. People can perform several actions to achieve more than one goal in rapid succession. Multitasking is important as it enables one to perform multiple tasks while consciously shifting from one to another within a short period. The cognitive attributes that help a person to multitask include the Working Memory (WM), fluid intelligence and attention control abilities. These abilities vary across individuals, making some individuals more apt in multitasking than others. The Working Memory and fluid intelligence have greater influences in the person’s ability to multitask relative to attention control. A person’s ability to multitask with reference to the cognitive attributes depends on the complexity of the multitasking and the power of the Working Memory to predict multitasking depends on the individual capacity and attention control (Redick & Engle, 2016).
Borghans & Zölitz (2015) concurs that the importance of schooling in developing a person’s cognitive skills is demonstrated by a study which sought to find out how the quality of school determines the pace at which children develop cognitive skills. The study discovered that children who attended high-quality schools developed their cognitive skills relatively faster than those who attended low-quality schools within the first two years, putting into account their initial ability, neighborhood controls, and parental background. A child develops cognitive abilities cumulatively and dynamically. Early childhood development is essential in setting the pace for later capabilities in the further development of cognitive skills. These skills start developing early in life, and as the child ages, they become less malleable.
Recent studies indicate that kindergarten scores significantly determine aspects such as college attendance, earnings and the quality of college attended. It thus goes to show that the choice and quality of the school are important in shaping a child's cognitive development as well as later attainments in life. It is important to improve the quality of early childhood environment to enhance the acquisition and further development of cognitive abilities. This will also help in reducing chances for later interventions for older generations which are costly. There is thus a dire need for lower quality schools to be closely monitored because their students develop cognitive skills at a slower rate than their high-quality counterparts. Parents and guardians are thus faced with the responsibility to be keen in selecting schools for their children by being vigilant of the existing quality differences among schools (Borghans & Zölitz , 2015).
Cagney & Lauderdale (2002) adds that the effects of education in the development of cognitive abilities across genders and racial groups have been studied and the results suggest that in all categories, it has a positive influence. Other factors such as economic status and household income also affected cognitive development to some extent. Wealth as an indicator of economic status significantly determines the cognitive development of men and women in all races. Particularly, wealth and income contribute more to cognitive development when education is integrated within
Conclusion
Cognitive Psychology became popular in the late 1950s when the behavioral approach could not meet the emerging needs due to its limitations. Education plays a vital role in the development of cognitive skills, particularly in the early years. Analyzing the cognitive attributes of students regarding their capabilities, behaviors, and characteristics is essential as it predicts later success in adulthood. Other factors such as wealth and household income also contribute to the development of these skills. A person’s multitasking abilities depend on the Working Memory, attention control and fluid intelligence, being cognitive attributes and vary across individuals. Cognitive perspective has been chosen due to its advantages over the other approaches. It is more objective and reliable as it uses highly controlled and rigorous study methods through the use of lab experiments, thus enabling researchers to understand the human cognitive process. It is also the most popular psychological approach that is applied today in both practical as well as theoretical contexts. It is also flexible as it can be easily integrated with other studies to develop new approaches. For example, when combined with behaviorism, it becomes a social learning theory, and if combined with biology it becomes evolutionary psychology.
References
Borghans, L., Golsteyn, B. H., & Zölitz, U. (2015). School quality and the development of
Cognitive skills between age four and six. PloS one , 10 (7), e0129700. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0129700
Cagney, K. A., & Lauderdale, D. S. (2002). Education, wealth, and cognitive function in later
life. The Journals of Gerontology, 57(2), 163–172. doi:10.1093/geronb/57.2.P163
Spengler, M., Damian, R. I., & Roberts, B. W. (2018). How you behave in school predicts life
success above and beyond family background, broad traits, and cognitive ability. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 114(4), 620-636. doi: 10.1037/pspp0000185.
Redick, T. S., Shipstead, Z., Meier, M. E., Montroy, J. J., Hicks, K. L., Unsworth. N. …
Engle, R. W. (2016). Cognitive predictors of a common multitasking ability: Contributions from working memory, attention control, and fluid intelligence. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 145(11), 1473-1492. Doi: 10.1037/xge0000219.
