Article: Solso, R.L., Maclin, O.H., Maclin, M.K. (2008). Cognitive psychology (8th ed). Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
This eighth edition by Solso, Maclin and Maclin has been reorganized and revised to tackle the emerging trends in the field of cognitive psychology. Just like the authors seventh edition, the book has been written in a humorous way but retains the ideas in the areas of cognition in a comprehensive way. The book discusses the areas of human cognition in a sequential way. These aspects include attention perception memory, the new cutting edge of consciousness, the higher order of cognition, forgetting and memory, the evolution of psychology and cognitive neuroscience.
This book is relevant to undergraduate study of cognition. Currently, the editions by Robert L. Solso and the Maclins are popular among professors and students in the filed of psychology. All the chapters of the eight editions have been thoroughly revised and its examples and art are updated and written in a clear language. The book, Cognitivepsychology is essential in studying comprehensively the areas that pertain to cognitive psychology.
The aspects like the higher order of cognition, memory attention, perception and others have been the complex issues which the students encounter. This book has however, simplified the areas hence accessible to students. Real life examples have been used which engages the student. The book is also credited for focusing on cognition in day to day life. Another credit of the book is that it is clearly organized and has engaging ideas to the researchers. It further emphasizes on cognition’s neuroscience underpinnings which call for further research in cognitive psychology.
The book cognitive psychology eighth edition was published in 2008. It contains 592 pages, written in English and was published by Allyn& Bacon. One weakness of the text is that the authors keep repeating issues throughout the chapters of the book. They also go around issues before coming to the points. This therefore, tampers with the flow of ideas. Some models in the texts are inadequately explained. This can be seen in page 331 – 333 on Whorfian hypothesis.
The authors do not present the postulations of this hypothesis but instead jump to Whorf‘s conclusion. The hypothesis has only explained in boxes but does not give its explanation on the text. This can be on page 501 which leads to confusion. Simple concepts have been repeatedly explained. Good structure and content is visible in the text. The book has also made use of tables, diagrams and pictures to enhance students understanding.
Through the excellently written book by Solso, students can learn the human process in problem solving which is likened to the six steps which are definitions, analysis, solving, planning, doing and checking. These are the steps which human brain follows. Cognitive psychology presents the mental process of how people learn, perceive, think and remember information.
These are the aspects tackled in Solso’s book. It relates cognitive psychology to disciplines like linguistics, neurosciences and philosophy. Numerous examples have been given on daily practices which apply to the practices of cognition. This includes attention and how one eliminates the less important information to focus on one particular area of information. The book is therefore, of benefit to students who study linguistics, behavioral neuroscience, Artificial intelligence and industrial -organization psychology. Educators and teachers in this field can learn how human beings remember information and learn.
Reference
Solso, R.L., Maclin, O.H., Maclin, M.K. (2008). Cognitive psychology (8th ed).Boston: Allyn&Bacon.
