Cognition and Basic Cognitive Functions Before beginning a discussion on how instructional designers typically view thinking and the thinking process, an important concept to understand is cognition. How people go about the process of thinking is often referred to as cognition. Cognition is the mental process of knowing, including aspects such as awareness, perception, reasoning, and judgment. In essence, cognition includes all of the brain’s mental input and output. Cognition encompasses basic activities like using language and math functions during a trip to the hardware store, to making complex decisions such as selecting between two job offers, to writing a creative story, to being able to understand another person’s perspective.
Cognition and thinking are terms that can be used interchangeably. This may not resonate well with some; however, this book is not the place for a debate over the intricacies of cognition and how thinking may or may not be synonymous. It is important to realize as an instructional designer that cognition and thinking can be and often are used to refer to the same thing.