Response 1Cognitive neuroscience deals with the study of cognition by looking at the underlying biological processes and aspects. It considers the connections of mental processes by focusing on how neural brain connections shape cognition. Cognitive neuroscience holds branches with psychology and neuroscience in bringing understanding as to how brain neural activities influence cognitive activities. Recent studies into cognitive neuroscience have brought a closer and better understanding into brain development and functioning. This has held tremendous possible opportunities for application in psychology to solve various psychological challenges to the human brain and strategize towards effective brain growth and development techniques. The mind-body problem is a concept developed considering the physical entity of the body and non-physical entity of the brain to bring to perspective the challenge posed in determining the relationship between mental states and processes to physical actions and processes (Gazzaniga, 2013).
Brain growth and development is a genetically programmed process as is physical development. Through cognitive neuroscience it is possible to tap into the invariance of the sequence of specific brain parts maturation that controls cognition and development. Furthermore, bran growth and development is highly influenced by prenatal, childhood, and adolescent development stages. As such, cognitive neuroscience brings a study to understand the different parts of the brain that develop during these stages and how they influence the actions and characters of different individuals. In understanding how different parts of the brain develop during different stages of growth and their retention capacity, cognitive neuroscience enables understanding the different actions and characters portrayed by different individuals (Brick and Fisher, 2012). This relates to the differences in beliefs, perception, and line of thoughts that translate to the physical actions and processes.
Response 2
Brain imaging techniques used in cognitive neuroscience have revolutionized understanding of the functioning of the brain and mind. Brain imaging techniques such as Positron emission tomography and Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging enable mapping out of the underlying mental activity of the brain enabling tracking of all cognitive processes. Mapping and monitoring of brain activities through brain imaging techniques enables the location of brain regions involved in specific tasks and how they relate to the neurophysical part of the brain (Gazzaniga, 2013). As such, this enables create a connection between activities of the brain and the physical actions that result thereafter. In cognitive psychology, understanding brain functions and how they affect behavior both of the conscious and subconscious is paramount. As such, it provides for a description of the brain-behavior relationship. Furthermore, brain mapping enables for a view of the changes in brain activation and activity in relation to different conscious and subconscious activities in an individual.
The aspect of brain imagery in cognitive neuroscience is a vital tool that can pave way to much in-depth understanding of the conscious and subconscious states of mind. The current developments in understanding how brain activities connect with behavior and actions have gone far in allowing room for thought and brain manipulation probabilities. This can further be taken to imaging brain function activities in both the conscious and subconscious state especially how they translate to physical activities. The possibility of creating manipulations between the conscious and subconscious states of mind could yield strategies through which psychological states of mind or illnesses can be cured or managed. With the fact that brain growth and development picks up most from earlier stages of lives has been the reason behind most psychological problems. Brain imagery to manipulate the conscious and subconscious states of mind can enable the triggering of only good memories and beliefs to be manifested in both character and behavior.
- Brick, R. and Fisher, P. (2012). Training the Brain Practical Applications of Neural Plasticity from the Intersection of Cognitive Neuroscience, Developmental Psychology, and Prevention Science. American Psychological Association, 67(2), 87–100.
- Gazzaniga, M. (2013). Shifting Gears: Seeking New Approaches for Mind/Brain Mechanisms. Annual Review Psychology, 64: 1–20.
