A Quick Introduction To Cognitive Abilities

Cognitive abilities may also be referred to as cognition. They have to do with how a person understands and reacts to his/her environment. They are a set of abilities, skills and processes which play a key role in everything we do. Let’s discuss more about cognitive abilities and how they affect us.

Cognitive abilities are directly linked with how we learn, remember, or solve problems rather than any specific piece of knowledge. It is possible to break down virtually any task into key cognitive abilities such as memory or eye-hand coordination.

For example the simple task of answering the door can be broken down into the following: perception (hearing the doorbell and knowing that it means that someone is at the door); decision making (deciding whether or not to answer the door); motor skills (walking to the door); language skills (speaking to the person at the door and responding); and social skills (determining additional meaning based on subtle cues from the person such as tone and body language).

There are a number of fields which address cognitive abilities including neuropsychology, cognitive psychology and cognitive training in general. It is important to note that cognitive abilities are really mental skills. Let’s discuss some key cognitive abilities:

1.Perception – This is involved in recognizing and interpreting sensory stimuli (such as smell, touch, hearing, etc.). It is being able to respond to external stimuli.

2.Attention – This is the ability to maintain concentration on an object, action, or thought. The amount of attention varies depending on the kind of situation and/or importance.

3.Memory

a.Short Term – The ability to process, retain and retrieve information over a very short term basis. The amount of information and the length of time that it can be retrieved are generally short.

b.Long Term – This entails the ability to process, store and retrieve information over a much longer period of time. This generally entails much more information and more details over a longer period of time. Long term memory makes it possible for someone to remember many details about a particular event which may have occurred many years ago.

4.Motor Ability – The ability to manipulate objects by training our bodies to act in a certain way.

5.Language skills – The ability to communicate and understand spoken words or written words in a certain language. This entails the ability to hear sounds and understand the meaning of these sounds. It also includes the ability to create sounds which are understood by other people.

6.Visual and Spatial processing – This is the ability to process visual stimuli. In simple terms it can create the ability to understand what a visual cue means. Or it can entail being able to discern spatial relationships between objects. It also involves the ability visualize images.

7.Executive Functions – These are the higher level cognitive abilities such as the ability to plan and execute a task or goal. This can involve flexibility such that alternative actions can be taken depending on the circumstances. Or it can entail insight. Other executive functions can include problem solving or decision making. Working memory is part of these functions and allows us to hold and manipulate information in real time. Emotional control is another cognitive ability tied to executive functions. Sequencing allows us to organize tasks into their proper steps. And inhibition can be used to help us to stay focused and avoid distractions.