ACX
A Theoretical "Case Against Education"
Scott Alexander examines the effectiveness of education by analyzing knowledge retention, questioning the value of schooling beyond basic skills.
18 min read 2,678 words
A thread through the archive
cognitive psychology
Essays tagged “cognitive psychology”. Follow an idea across the archive.
Essays on cognitive psychology
9 essaysACX
Critical Periods For Language: Much More Than You Wanted To Know
Scott Alexander investigates the claim that children learn languages faster than adults, finding it partially true but more nuanced than commonly believed.
16 min read 2,373 words
ACX
Study: Ritalin Works, But School Isn't Worth Paying Attention To
Scott Alexander analyzes a study showing Concerta improves ADHD children's attention but not their learning, and speculates on the reasons behind this unexpected result.
10 min read 1,488 words
ACX
Your Book Review: Consciousness And The Brain
A review of Stanislas Dehaene's 'Consciousness and the Brain', discussing scientific findings on consciousness and their implications.
52 min read 8,040 words
ACX
Ambidexterity And Cognitive Closure
Scott Alexander examines the relationship between handedness, authoritarianism, and cognitive flexibility, finding unexpected results that contradict a recent study.
14 min read 2,100 words
SSC
Lots Of People Going Around With Mild Hallucinations All The Time
Scott Alexander investigates the prevalence of Hallucinogen Persisting Perceptual Disorder (HPPD) and explores potential connections between perception, cognition, and belief in supernatural phenomena.
14 min read 2,107 words
SSC
Diametrical Model Of Autism And Schizophrenia
The post explores the diametrical model of autism and schizophrenia, suggesting they represent opposite ends of a spectrum from mechanistic to mentalistic cognition.
11 min read 1,625 words
LW
The limits of introspection
Scott reviews psychological research showing that people don't have introspective access to their own mental processes and instead guess at their reasons for behavior in the same way they would guess at others' motivations.
12 min read 1,741 words
LW
The Implicit Association Test
Scott explains the Implicit Association Test (IAT), which measures unconscious associations by testing reaction times when categorizing concepts, and argues it's better understood as measuring distances in conceptual space rather than as a simple test for prejudice.
15 min read 2,183 words