Cognitive Psychology & Neuroscience - Understanding the Mechanisms of Thought
Scientifically explaining how our judgments and decisions are made, pointing the way to better thinking and action.
What is Cognitive Psychology
Cognitive psychology is a discipline that studies how humans process information, memorize, and make judgments. We make countless decisions daily, but most of these are processed automatically and unconsciously. Understanding how this "unconscious judgment" works and what biases it has is the first step toward deepening self-awareness and making better choices.
Why Knowledge of Neuroscience is Useful
Neuroscience research reveals the biological mechanisms behind our thoughts and actions. By gaining practical knowledge about the effects of exercise on the brain, the relationship between stress and memory, and the neural basis of creativity, you can improve the quality of daily life.
"We overconfidently trust our own judgments. Only by understanding our own thought processes can we become truly wise."
Knowing cognitive biases is not about admitting weakness. Rather, it's about understanding the common characteristics of human thinking and acquiring wisdom to make better judgments based on that understanding.
Recommended Books
We introduce books providing practical insights from basics to application of cognitive psychology and neuroscience.
Thinking, Fast and Slow (Volume 1)
This book elucidates the two systems that govern human decision-making and reveals why we make judgment errors. By understanding the interaction between System 1, which is intuitive and fast, and System 2, which is logical and slow, you can become aware of your own thinking habits and make better judgments. This is a landmark work in behavioral economics by a Nobel Prize laureate in economics.
- The human brain has two systems: fast intuitive thinking and slow logical thinking
- Many judgment errors occur by relying too much on System 1's automatic responses
- Knowing specific biases such as anchoring effect and availability heuristic allows you to avoid them
- It is important to doubt your own intuition and consciously engage System 2 for important decisions
ファスト&スロー(上) あなたの意思はどのように決まるか? (ハヤカワ文庫 NF 410)
ダニエル・カーネマン / 早川書房 / 2014-06-20
ノーベル経済学賞を受賞した心理学者による行動経済学の世界的ベ...
Predictably Irrational
This book proves through experiments that there is regularity in irrational human behavior and explains why we repeat the same mistakes. By understanding behavioral patterns hidden in daily life - such as the magic of 'free,' the clash between social and market norms, and the endowment effect - you can make more conscious choices in consumer behavior and relationships. It is an ideal introductory book on behavioral economics.
- Irrational human behavior is predictable and follows certain patterns
- The word 'free' has powerful force that distorts rational judgment
- Confusing social norms with market norms has serious negative effects on relationships
- Once we own something, we feel attachment beyond its objective value
予想どおりに不合理: 行動経済学が明かす「あなたがそれを選ぶわけ」 (ハヤカワ・ノンフィクション文庫)
ダン アリエリー, Dan Ariely, 熊谷 淳子 / 早川書房 / 2013-08-23
行動経済学ブームに火をつけたベストセラー 「現金は盗まないが...
Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain
This book explains based on scientific evidence how exercise dramatically improves brain function. It demonstrates with abundant research data that aerobic exercise promotes secretion of BDNF (Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor), enhancing learning ability, memory, and concentration. By learning that exercise is also effective for stress reduction, anxiety relief, and improvement of depressive symptoms, you gain motivation to incorporate exercise into both mental and physical health management.
- Aerobic exercise promotes the generation of new brain cells, improving learning ability and memory
- Increased BDNF secretion from exercise enhances brain plasticity
- Regular exercise regulates cortisol levels, the stress hormone
- A habit of exercising several times a week is effective for dementia prevention and improvement of mental illness
脳を鍛えるには運動しかない! 最新科学でわかった脳細胞の増やし方
ジョン J.レイティ, エリック ヘイガーマン, 野中 香方子 / NHK出版 / 2009-03-20
人間の脳は走りながら進化した。 脳と気持ちが劇的に変わる脳科...
NOISE (Volume 1)
This book systematically analyzes the problem of 'noise' - variability in organizational judgments. It explains why the phenomenon occurs where doctors, judges, and HR professionals reach different conclusions even when given the same information, and presents countermeasures. By focusing not only on bias but also on noise, you gain a new perspective for improving the quality of individual and organizational decision-making.
- Noise, the variability in organizational judgments, is a serious problem just like bias
- It occurs surprisingly frequently that experts make different judgments on the same case
- To improve judgment quality, algorithms and structured methods are more effective than individual intuition
- Organizational decision-making can be improved by conducting noise audits and standardizing judgment processes
NOISE 上: 組織はなぜ判断を誤るのか?
ダニエル・カーネマン, オリヴィエ・シボニー, キャス・R・サンスティーン, Daniel Kahneman, Olivier Sibony, Cass R. Sunstein, 村井 章子 / 早川書房 / 2021-12-02
『ファスト&スロー』のカーネマンが、行動経済学を更新する。 ...
Summary
Knowledge from cognitive psychology and neuroscience is a powerful tool for objectively understanding your own thought patterns. By knowing how our brains make judgments and where they tend to err, you can make wiser judgments in work, relationships, and daily choices. Through these books, learn how thinking works and deepen self-understanding.