cognitive
KOG-nuh-tiv
/ˈkɒɡnətɪv/
Relating to the mental action or process of acquiring knowledge and understanding through thought, experience, and the senses.
In human factors, it refers to the mental load, memory, attention, and decision-making processes required to operate a system.
The story behind the word. The word comes from the Latin prefix 'co-' (together) and 'gnoscere' (to know). It entered English in the 17th century but exploded in popularity in the mid-20th century during the 'cognitive revolution' in psychology, which shifted focus from behaviorism to the inner workings of the mind.
Word relationships
- mental: Mental is a general term for anything relating to the mind, while cognitive specifically refers to the processes of thinking, learning, and remembering.
- physical: Physical relates to the body rather than the mind.
Commonly confused with
- conscious: Conscious means being awake and aware of one's surroundings, while cognitive refers to the structural mental processes of understanding and reasoning.
Word family
- cognition (noun): The mental action or process of acquiring knowledge.
- cognitively (adverb): In a way that relates to cognition.
Collocations
- cognitive load
- cognitive ergonomics
- cognitive development
- cognitive psychology
Example sentences
- "To prevent cognitive overload, the software dashboard displays only the most critical information by default." User interface design
Memory hook
Think of 'cog' in a machine. Cognitive processes are the mental cogs turning in your brain to process information. Cognitive = Cogs in the brain.
When not to use
Do not use to describe purely emotional or physical reactions; it is strictly about intellectual and mental processing.
Fun facts
- The concept of 'cognitive load' was developed in the late 1980s by John Sweller, who argued that design should minimize unnecessary mental effort to maximize learning and performance.
Take your vocabulary further with LangBlitz
Our English vocabulary app: FSRS spaced repetition, 5,000+ curated words across 119 topic groups, CEFR A1 to C2. Explore your mastery with the beautiful Vocabulary World feature.