Basic cognitive processes

A cognitive process is understood as a set of mental operations and processes which are produced due to the reception of stimuli and its respective answer. 

The basis of any cognitive process is set on sensations as our first reaction to an unknown object, concept or image is to perceive it through our senses –sight, hearing, touch, smell and taste- and its corresponding response according to our innate stimuli. Once we integrate the sensation produced in the brain starts the following process which is the perception. To perceive an object means that we can give to the sensation a meaning based on our previous experiences and knowledge. Therefore, perception is understood as an understanding of the environment and context that surround us that involves stimuli and their answers. However, we do not perceive everything that our senses perceive. Actually, we tend to perceive what we expect to observe according to our previous experiences or what fits in the patterns already created about what is relevant for us. 

The process of perceiving involves three phases. The first step is to organize the information. The truth is that we do not perceive everything that our eyes have seen, only the elements that have been organized meanwhile the rest is forgotten and remains unaware for us as our brain considered it irrelevant according to our interests. Afterwards, we give meaning to the organized information which is basically the process of contextualizing the information with the moment where we perceived it, we relate it with past experiences, etc. so it can be easier to be conscious of having the information and it is easier to remember it. Finally, we make the information ours by representing it. 

In order to perceive we must pay attention. In order to pay attention we must feel motivated so our senses are all involved in the task that we are doing. Therefore, the more motivated you are, the more able you are to achieve the agreed goals as attention lets us reach the goals established for a task. Just as like as perception, attention involves as well a few phases so it can be fully and successfully developed. According to the information sensed and perceived, we select the information that we believe is more useful. In order to be fully attentive we must avoid irrelevant information and distractions, prevent distraction and direct the cognitive activity to just one source of information and ignore the rest so we can be completely focused. 

There are five main types of attention:

The voluntary attention is linked with the acquisition of language (LINK FOLLOWING POST) as in the first years of life the child pays attention to what the parents are telling him and as the child grows and is able to point with the finger and then he can communicate them with words as he learns how to use language, he will be able to direct his attention to the adults, the opposite process compared to what happened in the first stages of life. 

The final process is memorization. Memory is the process from which we remember the information that has been codified, storage and retrieval. Therefore, the first step we must achieve in order for an information to be kept in our memory is to codify and register the information in a way that can be later used. It has been stated that the more complex the codification is, the longer the information will remain in our brain as when we do not only codify the information but we also construct it we are capable of remembering it more. This information later needs to be storage so we cannot lose it, and the final step is retrieval which is the faculty of take the information back what in order words mean is that we can find the information storaged, we are conscious of it and its usefulness, and we use them.

There are six main types of memory:

• Instant memory: Information that is accessible in the current moment that wants to be used. It is the information that is usually used in the daily life and allows the realization of different tasks at the time. 
• Specialized memory: Sort of memory close to the instant and long-term memory, and involves a memory specialized in one subject such as language. 
• Short-term memory: Involves the memory treated in the last process of codification and storage. It is a small amount of information that can be used during a short period of time. 
• Medium-term memory: Information that is held for a relative long time. The information ca be obtained either directly or because it is in relation with other information that is as well storaged in the memory. 
• Long-term memory: Memory that has a long duration and it does not really involve knowledge but essential characteristics of our selves and concepts such as justice, equality, freedom and respect. 
• Visual-emotional memory: Is the recall of a lived emotion. We do not remember emotions directly but we can remember the situations and states that created them and be able to reproduce and remember it. 

As memory is the ultimate step to remember information and involves the three first phases – sensation, perception and attention – it is important to use significant strategies to develop a correct and useful memory. First of all, me must contextualize the information and include it in a referent frame which can make it easier to remember the information as it is related with aspects that are important for our selves and our lives. The memory can be maximized if we relate it with other’s memories in a group and it is also useful to improve social interaction.