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Cognitive psychology

Cognitive Psychology is the school of psychology that examines internal mental processes such as problem solving, memory, and language. It had its foundations in the Gestalt psychology of Max Wertheimer, Wolfgang Köhler, and Kurt Koffka, and in the work of Jean Piaget, who studied intellectual development in children. Cognitive psychologists are interested in how people understand, diagnose, and solve problems, concerning themselves with the mental processes which mediate between stimulus and response. Cognitive theory contends that solutions to problems take the form of algorithms—rules that are not necessarily understood but promise a solution, or heuristics—rules that are understood but that do not always guarantee solutions. In other instances, solutions may be found through insight, a sudden awareness of relationships.

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Mind & Brain News

November 4, 2026

A new study suggests that ultra-processed foods may influence children's developing brains in ways that encourage weight gain. Researchers from USC studied 46 children ages 7 to 10 and found that those who ate more ultra-processed foods showed ...
Scientists have discovered that a drug originally developed for spinal cord injuries can tackle several key features of Alzheimer’s disease, including DNA damage and inflammation. Already tested ...
A surprising discovery suggests that rejuvenating the liver could help protect against Alzheimer’s disease and heart disease. USC researchers found that an experimental drug restored aging liver ...
A major 24-year study involving more than 8,200 adults suggests that excess body weight may accelerate brain aging, leading to faster declines in memory, concentration, and decision-making skills. The connection was particularly strong among people ...
A major new review challenges the growing enthusiasm for medical cannabis as an insomnia treatment, finding little reliable evidence that it improves sleep quality, sleep duration, or daytime ...
A surprising new study suggests that eating peanuts every day could help support brain health and memory in older adults. Researchers found that consuming about two servings of unsalted, skin-roasted peanuts daily for 16 weeks improved insulin ...
A UCLA study found that long-term exposure to a common pesticide was linked to more than 2.5 times the risk of Parkinson's disease. Scientists also uncovered how the chemical damages brain cells and identified a promising way to protect ...
Scientists at the University of Virginia have developed a promising new strategy to fight glioblastoma, one of the deadliest and most difficult-to-treat forms of brain cancer. Their experimental approach combines focused ultrasound, tiny ...
A major international study found that a simple blood test could help predict Alzheimer’s-related cognitive decline years before symptoms appear, with the highest-risk individuals facing a 38% ...
A surprising discovery at UC San Diego suggests that chronic lower back pain may become deeply embedded in the brain's sense of personal identity. Researchers found that movement-triggered pain activates a brain network associated with ...
Scientists have identified a weakened brain signal that may connect several seemingly unrelated symptoms of schizophrenia, including sensory processing difficulties, disorganized speech, and greater symptom severity. The surprising discovery could ...
A study of nearly 13,000 adults found that people consuming the most artificial sweeteners experienced a 62% faster decline in memory and thinking skills, equivalent to approximately 1.6 additional years of brain aging. Six popular sweeteners were ...

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