Cognitive psychology is a subfield of psychology that focuses on the study of mental processes such as perception, attention, language, memory, and decision-making. It emerged as a distinct field of study in the 1950s and 1960s, although its roots can be traced back much further in the history of psychology.
One of the earliest influential figures in the field of cognitive psychology was the German psychologist Wilhelm Wundt, who is often considered the father of modern psychology. Wundt established the first psychology laboratory in Leipzig, Germany in 1879, and his work focused on understanding the underlying mental processes involved in perception, attention, and other cognitive functions. Wundt's work laid the foundation for the structuralist approach to psychology, which sought to analyze the structure of the mind through systematic introspection.
However, the structuralist approach to psychology was largely rejected in the early 20th century, as behaviorism became the dominant paradigm in psychology. Behaviorism, which was developed by John B. Watson and B.F. Skinner, focused on the study of observable behavior and rejected the idea of studying internal mental processes. As a result, cognitive psychology was largely overlooked during this time period.
It wasn't until the 1950s and 1960s that cognitive psychology began to reemerge as a distinct field of study. This was due in large part to the development of new technologies, such as computer models and brain imaging techniques, which allowed researchers to study the brain and its functions in more detail. The development of these technologies helped to shift the focus of psychology back towards the study of mental processes, and cognitive psychology was born.
Since its inception, cognitive psychology has made significant contributions to our understanding of the human mind and how it works. It has helped to shed light on a wide range of mental processes, including perception, attention, memory, language, and decision-making, and has had a major impact on fields such as education, psychology, and computer science. Today, cognitive psychology continues to be a vibrant and active field of study, with researchers around the world working to further our understanding of the complex processes that underlie human cognition.