The scope of cognitive science research is broad and includes a variety of empirical domains that each contribute uniquely to our understanding of cognition. Here's a synthesis of information from multiple sources regarding the research domains within cognitive science:
- Cognitive Psychology: This area focuses on the scientific study of mental processes such as perception, attention, memory, and cognition. Research often involves empirical studies and theoretical papers aimed at understanding the cognitive underpinnings of behavior..
- Social & Shared Cognition: Social cognition is the way in which people process, remember, and use information in social contexts to explain and predict their own behavior and that of others. Shared cognition is the collective cognitive activity from individual team members where the collective activity has an impact on the overall team goals and activities.
- Neuropsychology of Cognition: This domain delves into the relationship between brain function and behavior, particularly how cognitive processes are affected by brain injuries or disorders. It includes the modeling and simulation of cognitive processes to understand underlying mechanism
- Cognitive Neuroscience: At specific institutions, cognitive science research encompasses studies on the mind as a computational system, exploring language, spatial representation, and seeking to discover the structure of cognition through various levels of analysis. This includes questioning the functions computed by the cognitive system, the representational formats it employs, and the neural structures that realize these processes in the brain.
- Philosophical and Formal Foundations of cognition and mind: Philosophical issues are deeply entwined with cognitive science. Researchers in this domain might study the nature of mental representations, the computational architecture of cognition, and methodological challenges in inferring mental structures from behavioral and neural data. There's also an emphasis on developing argumentation skills within the training programs to critically evaluate cognitive theory.
- Cognitive Sciences of Language: Language is a central topic in cognitive science, given its intricate relationship with thought processes. The study of language includes understanding its structure, how it's processed and learned, and its use in communication. The field of linguistics is deeply embedded within cognitive science, reflecting on how language interfaces with other cognitive domains.
- Artificial Intelligence and Cognitive Modeling: Investigates the creation of computer models that simulate aspects of human thought and reasoning. It also explores computational models of thinking, information processing, and the design of systems that can perform tasks requiring human intelligence.
- Cognitive Rehabilitation: Refers to a broad range of research-based interventions created to enhance cognitive functioning in cognitively-impaired or brain-injured individuals to overcome cognitive deficits and resume normal brain functioning.
These domains are not exhaustive but represent a snapshot of the broad and interdisciplinary nature of cognitive science research. The field continues to evolve as new methods and technologies emerge, allowing researchers to ask and answer more complex questions about the mind and cognition, in solo and social settings.
