What aspect of human experience does the cognitive approach primarily address?

The cognitive approach primarily addresses mental processes, which includes how individuals understand, think, remember, and learn. It focuses on the internal processes that influence behavior, such as perception, attention, memory, language, problem-solving, and decision-making. This approach emerged in response to behaviorism, emphasizing the importance of understanding the mind and its functioning in order to understand human behavior more comprehensively.

By analyzing mental functions, psychologists utilizing a cognitive approach can explore how people interpret experiences and how their thoughts influence their actions. It provides insight into the mechanisms of learning and cognitive development throughout the lifespan, illustrating how people process information differently at various stages of life, from childhood to adulthood. Understanding these mental processes can help inform therapeutic practices, educational strategies, and even aspects of artificial intelligence, showcasing the broad applicability of cognitive psychology.