Notebook & Site Glossary:

A B C D E F G H I L N O P R S T U

Clinical Psychology

Focuses on diagnosing and treating mental health disorders, emotional difficulties, and behavioral issues. Clinical psychologists work in settings like hospitals, clinics, and private practices, helping individuals improve their mental well-being.

Cognition

Cognition refers to the mental processes involved in acquiring, processing, storing, and using information. It encompasses a wide range of activities, including perception, memory, reasoning, problem-solving, decision-making, language, and creativity. Cognition is central to how we understand and interact with the world, and it is a key focus of study in psychology, neuroscience, cognitive science, and related fields.

Cognitive Psychology

Studies mental processes like perception, memory, thought, problem-solving, and language. Cognitive psychologists investigate how people process information and how cognitive functions develop over time.

Consciousness

A complex and multifaceted psychological term that refers to the state of being aware of and able to think about oneself, one’s surroundings, and one’s experiences. It encompasses the subjective experience of thoughts, feelings, perceptions, and sensations, as well as the ability to reflect on and interpret these experiences. Consciousness is a central topic in psychology, neuroscience, philosophy, and cognitive science, but it remains one of the most challenging phenomena to define and study.

Controlled Attention

Also known as executive attention or voluntary attention, refers to the deliberate and effortful allocation of cognitive resources to specific tasks, stimuli, or goals. Unlike automatic attention, which is involuntary and stimulus-driven, controlled attention requires conscious intention, focus, and mental effort. It is a key component of executive functioning and plays a critical role in complex cognitive tasks, decision-making, and goal-directed behavior.

Cost-Benefit Analysis

A systematic process used to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of a decision, project, or policy by comparing its costs and benefits. The goal is to determine whether the benefits outweigh the costs and whether the decision is economically justified. CBA is widely used in economics, business, public policy, and personal decision-making to ensure resources are allocated efficiently and effectively.

Cue

In psychology, a cue is a stimulus or signal that triggers a specific response, memory, or behavior. Cues can be external (e.g., sights, sounds, smells) or internal (e.g., thoughts, emotions) and play a critical role in guiding attention, memory retrieval, learning, and decision-making. Cues are essential in various psychological processes, including conditioning, memory recall, and habit formation.

Key Features of Cues:

Triggering Function:
- Cues act as prompts that initiate or influence a response, thought, or behavior.

Context-Dependent:
- The effectiveness of a cue often depends on the context in which it is presented.

Associative Nature:
- Cues are often linked to specific memories, behaviors, or outcomes through learning and experience.

Variety of Forms:
- Cues can be sensory (e.g., visual, auditory, olfactory), emotional, or cognitive.

Index Of Tactical Notebook Articles In Order Of Suggested Reading:

This index is a revision of our now removed Legacy Member Handbook series. New articles are added over time and the index adjusted accordingly. Visist the “Updates” environment (linked in the main navigation menu) to get up to speed or see when new content is added or changes have been made to existing articles.