Pattern Recognition

Generally, pattern recognition refers to a process of inputting stimulating (pattern) information and matching with the information in long-term memory, then recognizing the category which the stimulation belongs to. Therefore, pattern recognition depends on people’s knowledge and experience. Without involving individual’s knowledge and experience, people cannot understand the meanings of the stimulating information pattern inputted, then neither possible to recognize the patterns, which means to recognize the objects. The process which a person distinguishes a pattern he percepts with others and identifies what it is means pattern recognition. Current cognitive psychology has proposed such theoretical models or hypothesis as the Theory of Template (Model of Template Matching), the Theory of Prototype (Model of Prototype Matching), Distinctive Features models, and The computational Approaches.

Theories of Attention

Bottleneck Theories or Filter Theories (Broadbent 1958) 

Broadbent (1958) proposed that physical characteristics of messages are used to select one message for further processing and all others are lost. In other word this bottleneck limits the quantity of information to which we can pay attention. However these theories lost popularity because they underestimated the flexibility of human attention (Eysenck 1982) 

Automatic versus Controlled Processing 

Automatic/controlled processing theory assumes that human performance is the result of two qualitatively different processes; automatic and controlled processing. Automatic processing is a fast, parallel process not limited by short term memory. Automatic processing uses little subject effort, permits little direct subject control, but requires extensive and consistent training to develop. Controlled processing is a comparatively slow, serial process limited by short term memory. Controlled processing requires subject effort, permits a large degree of subject control, but needs little training to develop. 

Meaning and Types of attention

Attention is the cognitive process of selectively concentrating on one aspect of the environment while ignoring other things. There are many factors that affect Attention; these are internal factors and external. Internal factors are the ones that belong to the individual, such as interests and expectations. External factors are those that come from the stimulus, the characteristics that belong to the stimuli that draw our attention. Examples might be color, shape, size or intensity. 

Current Status of Cognitive Psychology

Cognitive Psychology is part of broader field known as Cognitive Science. (Gardner 1985). Cognitive Science is an inter disciplinary subject which includes its scope field of Psychology, Philosophy, Linguistic, Anthropology, Artificial Intelligence and Neuroscience. Some scholars even add sociology and economics into it. Cognitive psychologists generally do not emphasize the factors such as emotions or the difference between individuals. 

The major areas in which much research has been conducted are: 

1. Neuroscience and 

2. Artificial Intelligence 

Neuroscience 

Cognitive neuroscience examines how the structure and function of the brain explains the cognitive process. Some of the techniques used by neuroscientists who have provided useful information for cognitive psychology are;

Scope of Cognitive Psychology

Cognitive psychology is not only centered to everything what happens in everyday life, it is even central to psychologist's quest to understand how of the behavior. The scope of cognitive psychology could be understood by understanding its sub disciplines and the work done in it. 

1. Social Psychologists: 

Social psychologists try to investigate the mental processes involved in thinking about others. 

2. Clinical Psychologists: 

Clinical psychologists investigate the role that mental processes play in psychopathology. 

3. Developmental Psychologists: 

Developmental psychologists study about the ways that cognitive processes change throughout the life span. 

4. Neuropsychologists: 

Cognitive psychology is also related with neuropsychology, in which neuropsychologists try to understand the association between mental processing and brain activity. 

5. Organizational Psychologists: 

Cognitive psychology plays its role in industrial or organizational set up where in organizational psychologists are insisted to know how cognitive processes such as remembering and decision making strategies work out in organizational or industrial workplace.

Meaning and Nature of Cognitive Psychology

Cognitive psychology is the branch of psychology that studies mental processes including how people think, perceive, remember and learn. As part of the larger field of cognitive science, this branch of psychology is related to other disciplines including neuroscience, philosophy and linguistics. 

The core focus of cognitive psychology is on how people acquire, process and store information. There are numerous practical applications for cognitive research, such as improving memory, increasing decision-making accuracy and structuring educational curricula to enhance learning. 

Nature of Cognitive Psychology 

The Nature of cognitive psychology could be understood by understanding the areas which it covers in it. 

1. Perception: It is the Process of understanding or giving meaning to the sensation we come across. 

2. Attention: It is a process through which we focus on incoming information. The ability of attention is flexible and diversion of attention always occurs very quickly.