CognitionWhat is cognition? It is the general term given for mental activities. In cognitive psychology it is the study of higher mental processes; memory, attention, language, reasoning etc. in contrast to the behaviorists; Cognitive psychologists are more willing to postulate mechanisms and processes that are not directly observable, such as memory stores and changes in attention. Cognitive research includes several aspects of mental life, such as the use of images in representation, decision-making, and problem solving and reasoning. A First Course in Psychology, Nicky Haynes, 3rd edition, Harrap Ltd, London, page 202. Cognition has everything to do with memory. Memory is the ability to access information in the mind about past experiences and events. Theories of memory deal with the causes of forgetting; pure decay or interference from other material and the possibility that there are two or more distinct archives from which information is forgotten at different rates, short-term and long-term memory. They also analyze the distinction between episodic memory; the memory of specific events experienced by the individual and semantic memory; knowledge and how incoming information and prior knowledge interact in understanding language and solving problems; working memory. There are three stages of memory;„« Encoding: This is the input stage, where newly perceived information is learned or encoded. Perception is not just receiving information with our senses, but also making sense of that information. When we see an image of simple shape; a square: all we see is a pattern of light waves. But our brain receives this information and... middle of paper... According to Freud, repression is where we push unpleasant memories out of conscious awareness. One situation where repressed memories are thought to occur (in fact they do) is in areas of child abuse and where adults are abused. Whatever the age, if we deny that it ever happened, then it never happened. Forgetting things happens for many reasons, mentally, emotionally and physically, whatever our age. Bibliography: An Introduction to Cognitive Psychology, Process and Disorders, David Groome, 1999 Psychology press Ltd, East Sussex.A First Course in Psychology,3rd Edition,1984, Nicky Haynes, Harrap Ltd, London, UK.Psychology an Introduction, 3rd Edition ,1998, Nicky Haynes and Sue Orrel, Addison Wesley Longman Ltd, Harrow, Essex .Psychology for AS Level, Mike Cardwell, Liz Clarke and Claire Meldrum,2001, Harper Collins Publishers Ltd, London, UK.