What characterizes the cognitive paradigm?

The cognitive paradigm is predominantly characterized by its emphasis on understanding mental processes. This approach recognizes that cognitive functions such as perception, memory, reasoning, and decision-making play a critical role in human behavior. Cognitive psychologists study how people acquire, process, and store information, essentially focusing on the internal mental activities that influence behavior rather than merely observing outward actions.

This focus on mental processes allows researchers and practitioners to develop theories and models that explain cognitive functions in terms of mental representations and information processing. This inclusion of mental activities marks a significant departure from earlier paradigms, such as behaviorism, which primarily concentrated on observable behavior without accounting for underlying mental processes. The cognitive approach also integrates insights from various fields, including linguistics, computer science, and neuroscience, to build a comprehensive understanding of how cognition operates. Thus, the emphasis on understanding mental processes is a foundational aspect of the cognitive paradigm.