What is one characteristic of cognitive psychology?

Cognitive psychology is fundamentally characterized by its focus on understanding internal mental processes. This includes areas such as perception, memory, reasoning, and decision-making. Unlike some other psychological approaches that may emphasize observable behavior or reject the study of mental processes altogether, cognitive psychology seeks to explore, analyze, and interpret how people think and process information.

By studying these internal processes, cognitive psychologists can develop theories and models that explain how individuals understand the world and make decisions, providing insights into both typical and atypical cognitive functioning. This characteristic makes cognitive psychology distinct from behavioral approaches, which concentrate solely on observable behaviors without addressing the underlying cognitive mechanisms.