Cognitivepsychology

Is concerned with advances in the study of memory, language processing, perception, problem solving, and thinking. It had its foundations in the Gestalt psychology. Cognitive psychologists are interested in how people understand, diagnose, and solve problems, concerning themselves with the mental processes which mediate between stimulus and response. Cognitive theory contends that solutions to problems take the form of algorithms—rules that are not necessarily understood but promise a solution, or heruristics—rules that are understood but that do not always guarantee solutions. In other instances, solutions may be found through insight, a sudden awareness of relationships.
 * Cognitive Psychology**

Some research areas include: • Artificial intelligence • Developmental psychology • Linguistics • Neurophysiology • Social psychology

This is important to interactive design because it covers areas that we should concider.

Sorces: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/622807/description#description http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cognitive_psychology