Cognitive Psychology and Neuropsychology, Essay Example

Neuropsychology is a relatively new area of research into understanding how the brain and its various structures and components influence human behavior. Neuropsychology has both clinical and experimental applications, as researchers attempt to determine how various structures of the brain and nervous system are interrelated with behavior, and psychologists in clinical settings apply the understanding of brain functions when treating patients. Neuropsychology employs a number of techniques to determine how the structures of the brain influence behavior. Psychological examinations and tests are offered in conjunction with brain scans and other testing that can see how psychology and behavior are linked with brain structures and processes.

Cognitive psychology takes a different approach to understanding the nature of human behavior and psychology. This field is, in a sense, more practical than neuropsychology, in that it deals directly with mental and psychological processes related to such issues as attention, memory, and problem-solving. The two fields are complementary, however, as the sort of testing that examines such processes can be administered in conjunction with brain scans and other such examinations to see the interrelation between mental processes and bran functions.