CognitionWhat is cognition? This is the general term given to designate mental activities. In cognitive psychology, it is the study of higher mental processes; memory, attention, language, reasoning, etc. unlike behaviorists; Cognitive psychologists are more willing to postulate mechanisms and processes that are not directly observable, such as memory stores and attentional shifts. Cognitive research includes several different facets of mental life, such as the use of imagery in representation, decision-making processes, and problems. resolution and reasoning. A First Course in Psychology, Nicky Haynes, 3rd edition, Nobel Ltd, London, page 202. Cognition is entirely linked to memory. Memory is the ability to access information in the mind relating to past experiences and events. Theories of memory deal with the causes of forgetting; pure degradation or interference from other materials, and the possibility that there are two or more distinct stores from which information is forgotten at different rates, short-term and long-term memory. They also analyze the distinction between episodic memory; the memory of specific events experienced by the individual and semantic memory; knowledge and how received information and prior knowledge interact in language understanding and problem solving; working memory. There are three stages of memory: “Encoding: This is the input stage, where newly perceived information is learned or encoded. Perception is not only about receiving information with our senses, but also about making sense of that information. When we see an image of a simple shape; a square - all we really see is a pattern of light waves. But, our brain receives this information and...... middle of paper ......According to Freud, repression is where we push unpleasant memories out of consciousness. One situation where repressed memories are thought to occur (in fact, they do) is in the areas of child and adult abuse. Regardless of age, if we deny that it happened, then it never happened. Forgetting things happens for many reasons, mental, emotional and physical, regardless of our age. Bibliography: Introduction to cognitive psychology, processes and disorders, David Groome, 1999 Psychology press Ltd, East Sussex. A First Course in Psychology, 3rd edition, 1984, Nicky Haynes, Nobel Ltd, London, United Kingdom. Psychology an Introduction, 3rd edition, 1998, Nicky Haynes and Sue Orrel, Addison Wesley Longman Ltd, Harrow, Essex. Psychology for AS Lvel, Mike Cardwell, Liz Clarke and Claire Meldrum, 2001, Harper Collins Publishers Ltd, London, United Kingdom.