ABSTRACT
Themainaimofthischapteristoassessthesignificanceofcontemporarycognitivepsychologyfortheeducationofeffectivethinkers.R.Glaser(1984),oneoftheleadingcontemporaryeducational psychologistsclaimstheknowledgethatisaccumulatingincognitive psychologyconcerningtheabilityofpeopletoreasonandsolve problems"shouldhavelastingeffectsonimprovingandincreasing thegeneraluseoftheseabilities"(p.93).Onecouldproperlyinfer fromwhatI'vesaidinthepreviouschapterthatIdonotbelievethis tobethecase,butgiventheexcitementgeneratedinsomequarters aboutthecognitiveapproach,thematterdeservescarefulexamination.1InsectionI,Ibrieflydiscusstwoprecursorstothecognitive approach-thegestaltandbehavioristtraditions.Section2expoundsandanalyzesthecognitiveorientationtotheexperimental studyofthinking.Insection3Idiscusstherelationshipbetween thinkingandlearningasitisunderstoodbycognitivepsychology. Section4focussesonchildren'sthinking.Finallyinsections5and6, Iexaminethepedagogicalimplicationsofcognitivepsychology.
