March 29, 2024
Updated April 11, 2025
17 minute read
A Career Exploration: Cognitive Scientist
Cognitive science is the fascinating and broad scientific study of the mind and its processes. It seeks to understand how we think, perceive, learn, remember, reason, and use language. It's an inherently interdisciplinary field, drawing insights and methods from psychology, computer science (especially artificial intelligence), neuroscience, linguistics, philosophy, and anthropology to paint a comprehensive picture of cognition.
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Find a path to becoming a Cognitive Scientist. Learn more at:
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Reading list
We've selected some books
that we think will supplement your
learning. Use these to
develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a
deeper understanding of the topics covered in
Cognitive Scientist.
Provides a comprehensive overview of the field of affective computing, covering the history, theories, methods, and applications of the field. It is an excellent resource for anyone who wants to learn more about the basics of affective computing.
This handbook provides a comprehensive overview of the learning sciences. It is written by a team of experts and provides a valuable resource for anyone who is interested in learning more about this field.
Comprehensive report on the state of research on learning. It was written by a committee of experts and provides a valuable overview of the latest research on how people learn.
This handbook provides a comprehensive overview of the field of affective computing, covering the history, theories, methods, and applications of affective computing, as well as chapters on specific topics such as facial expression recognition, speech emotion recognition, and multimodal affect recognition.
This textbook offers a comprehensive overview of cognitive psychology, with significant coverage of perception as a key cognitive process. It connects research findings to everyday experiences, making the material accessible and relevant. This standard text for undergraduate cognitive psychology courses and is excellent for gaining a broad understanding of perception within a wider cognitive framework.
Provides a comprehensive overview of learning strategies and how they can be used to improve learning. It is written in a clear and accessible style and is ideal for students who are interested in learning more about how to learn.
Provides a comprehensive overview of the major learning theories. It is written in a clear and accessible style and is ideal for students who are new to the study of learning.
Seminal work in the field of situated cognition, and it challenges the traditional view that cognition disembodied process. Hutchins argues that cognition is situated in the environment, and that it is shaped by the body and the social context.
Provides a comprehensive overview of the 4E approach to cognition, which emphasizes the embodied, embedded, enacted, and extended nature of cognition.
Provides a comprehensive overview of cognitive processes from a neuropsychological perspective. It covers a wide range of topics, including perception, attention, memory, language, and decision-making. It is written by three leading experts in the field and is suitable for both undergraduate and graduate students.
This core textbook provides a focused and in-depth treatment of key topics in perception, suitable for undergraduate and graduate courses. It covers both classic and contemporary research and offers a solid understanding of the field's central concepts and methods.
Provides a thorough overview of vision science, covering the process from the initial light input to the subjective perceptual experience. It takes a psychophysics perspective but also incorporates neuroscience. It detailed and comprehensive resource suitable for advanced undergraduates and graduate students seeking to deepen their understanding of visual perception.
This textbook offers a clear and accessible introduction to the psychology of perception, covering key topics and research findings. It is suitable for undergraduate students and provides a solid foundation for understanding how we perceive the world through our senses.
This concise introduction provides a good starting point for understanding the basic concepts and questions in the study of perception. It is ideal for high school students or those new to the topic who need a brief but informative overview before tackling more in-depth texts.
Explores the relationship between action and thought, and it argues that our bodies play a crucial role in shaping our thoughts. Tversky provides a wealth of examples to illustrate how our physical experiences can influence our cognitive processes.
Provides a comprehensive introduction to cognitive psychology, covering a wide range of topics including perception, attention, memory, language, problem-solving, and decision-making. It is written in a clear and engaging style and is suitable for both undergraduate and graduate students.
A classic in the field, this book presents Gibson's theory of ecological psychology, which emphasizes direct perception and the rich information available in the environment. While older, it offers a foundational perspective that is still highly influential and provides a deep understanding of visual perception. It is more valuable as additional reading to broaden one's perspective beyond traditional cognitive approaches.
Explores the power of mindset and how it can impact our success in all areas of life. Dweck argues that people with a growth mindset believe that they can improve their intelligence and abilities through effort, while people with a fixed mindset believe that their intelligence and abilities are fixed.
Provides a comprehensive overview of motivation and emotion and how they impact learning. It is written in a clear and engaging style and is ideal for students who are interested in learning more about these topics.
Explores the concept of situated learning and how it can be used to improve teaching and learning. It is written in a clear and accessible style and is ideal for educators who are interested in learning more about situated learning.
Explores the concept of lifelong learning and how it can be used to improve teaching and learning. It is written in a clear and accessible style and is ideal for educators who are interested in learning more about this topic.
Provides a concise and accessible overview of cognitive psychology. It covers a wide range of topics, including perception, attention, memory, language, and decision-making. It is written in a clear and engaging style and is suitable for both undergraduate and graduate students.
Philosophical inquiry into the origins of the human mind, and it argues that the mind is embodied in the body. Davidson provides a detailed exploration of the relationship between the body and the mind, and he challenges the traditional view that the mind disembodied entity.
Hoffman presents a provocative argument that our perceptions do not reflect objective reality but are rather an 'interface' shaped by evolution for survival. delves into contemporary and theoretical aspects of perception, challenging traditional views. It is suitable for advanced students and professionals interested in the philosophical and computational underpinnings of perception.
While a comprehensive neuroscience textbook, this book contains several key chapters dedicated to sensory systems and perception, offering a deep dive into the neural mechanisms underlying these processes. It foundational text for graduate students and researchers in neuroscience and provides essential background for understanding the biological basis of perception.
Provides an overview of the role of affect in human-computer interaction. It is suitable for readers who wish to learn more about the impact of affect on HCI.
Explores the relationship between embodiment, emotion, and cognition, and it argues that our bodies play a crucial role in shaping our emotions and our cognitive processes. Oatley, Jenkins, and Oatley provide a wealth of examples to illustrate how our bodily experiences can influence our thoughts, our feelings, and our behavior.
Written by Nobel laureates, this book provides a detailed account of the neural processing underlying visual perception, drawing on classic research in neurophysiology. While somewhat dated in terms of the newest techniques, it remains a foundational text for understanding the biological basis of vision and is valuable for advanced students in neuroscience and vision science.
This recent book explores the diverse ways animals perceive the world through their unique sensory systems. While not strictly a human perception text, it broadens understanding by highlighting the variety of perceptual experiences possible and the evolutionary pressures that shape them. It's excellent for gaining a wider perspective and understanding the biological basis of different sensory modalities.
Explores intriguing aspects of vision and perception, presenting ideas about why we see the world the way we do. It touches on contemporary research and offers a thought-provoking perspective on visual illusions and the evolutionary basis of vision. It is accessible to a broad audience, including high school and undergraduate students.
Provides a very concise overview of cognitive psychology. It covers a wide range of topics, including perception, attention, memory, language, and decision-making. It is written in a clear and engaging style and is suitable for both undergraduate and graduate students.
Explores the relationship between embodied cognition and the neural basis of meaning, and it argues that our bodies play a crucial role in shaping our understanding of language and meaning. Fauconnier and Turner provide a wealth of examples to illustrate how our bodily experiences can influence our interpretation of language and our understanding of the world.
While not solely focused on perception, Kahneman's work on the two systems of thinking (System 1 and System 2) is highly relevant to understanding how our perceptions and biases influence decision-making. It provides valuable insights into the cognitive processes that interact with perception and must-read for anyone interested in the broader implications of perception in human behavior.
Explores the relationship between the body and the mind, and it argues that our bodies are not just physical entities, but they are also a source of meaning and knowledge. Johnson provides a wealth of examples to illustrate how our bodily experiences can shape our thoughts and our understanding of the world.
This handbook provides a comprehensive and in-depth overview of current research and theory in sensation, perception, and attention. It valuable reference tool for graduate students and researchers, offering detailed chapters on various aspects of perception written by experts in the field. It is not a textbook for introductory learning but an advanced reference.
Explores the relationship between the body and the mind, and it argues that our bodies are not just physical entities, but they are also a source of meaning and knowledge. Johnson provides a wealth of examples to illustrate how our bodily experiences can shape our thoughts and our understanding of the world.
This philosophical work explores perception from an ecological and phenomenological perspective, arguing for a deeper connection between human perception and the natural world. It offers a broader, interdisciplinary view of perception beyond cognitive science and is valuable for advanced students interested in theoretical and philosophical aspects.
Through fascinating case studies, Sacks explores various neurological disorders that affect perception and cognition. provides a compelling look at how breakdowns in brain function can alter perceptual experience, offering valuable insights into the complexities of normal perception. It is excellent supplementary reading for understanding the clinical relevance of perception studies.
For more information about how these books relate to this course, visit:
OpenCourser.com/career/hpsi4n/cognitive
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