Introspection Essay

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In psychology, like other disciplines of science, it is important to be conscious of the processes used in research. Peer-review and critical reflection are valuable for advancement in any area of science. Early in the study of cognition, described as the mental processes we use to gain knowledge, form thoughts, and understand these, behaviorism and introspection were found to be of limited use. Introspection was the research method used to study cognition beginning in the late 19th century and lasting for many years (Cognition, p.8,9). Relying on each individual to study their own thoughts, introspectors were specially trained to use a limited vocabulary in their observations to give complete and uninterpreted reports of their cognition (Cognition, p.9). The process is critically limiting because no person can directly study another’s thoughts, and through introspection there is no way to study unconscious thoughts. Today, many cognitive scientists view introspection as unreliable or nonexistent (Engelbert & Carruthers, 2010). Like other sciences, there must be a way to test the claims in an objective manner, which cannot be done with introspection. Looking for objective, observable data, psychologists instead began to study …show more content…

The amygdala is further supported as an emotional evaluator by studies that indicate it is used in decision making processes, and especially when these decisions rely on one’s emotions and opinions (Cognition, p. 34). The connection the amygdala to decision making can be recognized when a person feels one option is logically the right choice, but emotionally they view another as right (Cognition, p.35). Capgras syndrome also reminds psychologists and neuroscientists that each area of the brain has a unique function, and cooperative work of all areas allows cognitive processes to occur (Cognition,

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