In this free online course, learn about the theories and strategies involved in cognitive reasoning and development.

Throughout this psychology course, you will explore inductive reasoning, as well as problem-solving strategies and personal moral dilemmas. All the demonstrations, problems, examples and assessment questions in this instructor-led video-based course have been curated to provide you with a comprehensive foundation in cognitive development and reasoning.

It begins by introducing you to the academic definition of ‘decision-making’ and the different types of reasoning that can be employed. Then, the concept of ‘pragmatic reasoning schemas’ will be discussed, which refer to a way of thinking about cause and effect in the world that is learned as part of experiencing everyday life. You will explore the concept of the ‘availability heuristic’, which states that events that are more easily remembered are judged as being more probable, than events that are less easily remembered. Discover the fact that genes are the small segments of DNA that affect a particular process or personal characteristics.

Next, you will learn the analogical problem-solving technique, gain insight into creativity in problem solving, analyze Easterbrook’s hypothesis and you unravel the importance of understanding the role of the brain’s amygdala in cognition and memory functions. Finally, you will study developmental psychology, postnatal development and the lifespan development of memory.