ABSTRACT
Cognition is the study of how one acquires, stores, transforms, and retrieves information. Cognitive processes (e.g., attention, memory, language, executive function) can be assessed in a number of different ways, each having different strengths and limitations. The aim of this chapter is to provide an overview of the more salient methods that have been adopted by behavioural scientists: psychometric, experimental, neuropsychological, and psychophysiological approaches. Both traditional (e.g., mental ability testing) and contemporary (e.g., EEG, fMRI) approaches to cognitive assessment are discussed, and the application of cognitive assessment in educational and clinical settings is summarised.
