What is Cognition and Cognitive Neuroscience?
Cognitive psychology is the branch of psychology that seeks to understand the mental processes that underlie our ability to perceive, focus our attention, reason, make decisions, communicate, and represent information in memory. Simply put, cognitive psychology is the scientific study of thinking. Cognitive neuroscience relates these mental processes to the dynamics of neural activity within the brain using neuroscience techniques (e.g., functional magnetic resonance imaging [fMRI], electroencephalography [EEG], transcranial magnetic stimulation [TMS]).
How can I learn more about Cognition and Cognitive Neuroscience?
We offer various related courses at the undergraduate level including Human Cognitive Processes (PBSI 345), Cognitive Neuroscience (PBSI 350), Lifespan Development (PBSI 225), Developmental Psychology (PBSI 307), Psychology of Aging (PBSI 365), and Sensation and Perception (PBSI 320). A great way to be introduced to some of the foundational principles of cognition and cognitive neuroscience is through PBSI 235: Introduction to Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience. For those interested in pursuing a career in research or academia, we also support a PhD program in Experimental Psychology with a focus on Cognition and Cognitive Neuroscience.
Cutting-edge research in Cognition and Cognitive Neuroscience
Another way to learn more about cognition and cognitive neuroscience is to become involved in supporting the research that is conducted in the labs of one of our professors. The work of all of our labs is supported in part by the efforts of dedicated undergraduate research assistants, who contribute as a part of a PBSI 491 Research experience. Below is a brief description of the research focus of each of our nine faculty members and a link to their faculty profile to learn more; interested students can directly reach out to faculty members via the contact information contained within the linked faculty pages:
Brian Anderson studies how what we pay attention to is shaped by learning. He also serves as the Director of the Human Imaging Facility, which supports the magnetic resonance imaging research of scientists across the TAMU research community.
Jessica Bernard studies how the cerebellum contributes to both motor and cognitive behavior, in addition to motor and cognitive performance changes in aging.
Rebecca Brooker studies the interplay between biological and behavioral factors in the development of anxiety risk in infants, mothers, and mother-infant dyads.
Rongxiang Tang studies the neural mechanisms of cognitive functions and modifiable risk factors related to differential cognitive trajectories in aging (i.e., healthy vs. Alzheimer's disease).
Joseph Orr studies the influences of reward and motivation on cognitive flexibility.
Steve Smith studies memory-retrieval blocking and recovery, tip of the tongue states, and creative cognition (more specifically, fixation and mental blocks).
Jyotsna Vaid studies bilingualism and language brokering experience, word recognition across orthographies, and directional biases in spatial cognition.
Darrell Worthy studies human learning and decision-making using a computational cognitive neuroscience approach.
Takashi Yamauchi studies the relationship between emotion and cognition, brain-computer interface, affective computing, and unconscious semantic processing.
We cannot be more proud of our Cognition and Cognitive Neuroscience team of ingenius psychologists and all the work they do in their research and fields. Gig em!