Cognitive Science

The latest breakthroughs, innovations, and cool happenings at the cutting edge of the world of cognitive science. Updated daily.

When liars are considered honest

This article introduces a theoretical model of truth and honesty from a psychological perspective. We examine its application in political discourse and discuss empirical findings distinguishing between conceptions of honesty and their influence on public perception, misinformation dissemination, and the integrity of democracy. Read Full Article (External Site) Dr. David LowemannDr. David Lowemann, M.Sc, Ph.D., […]

Published on April 4, 2024

Arousal and performance: revisiting the famous inverted-U-shaped curve

Arousal level is thought to be a key determinant of variability in cognitive performance. In a recent study, Beerendonk, Mejías et al. show that peak performance in decision-making tasks is reached at moderate levels of arousal. They also propose a neurobiologically informed computational model that can explain the inverted-U-shaped relationship. Read Full Article (External Site) […]

Published on April 3, 2024

Predictability and Variation in Language Are Differentially Affected by Learning and Production

Abstract General principles of human cognition can help to explain why languages are more likely to have certain characteristics than others: structures that are difficult to process or produce will tend to be lost over time. One aspect of cognition that is implicated in language use is working memory—the component of short-term memory used for […]

Published on April 2, 2024