This text provides a fully updated, systematic introduction to the theoretical and experimental foundations of higher mental processes. Avoiding technical jargon, John R. Anderson constructs a coherent picture of human cognition, relating neural functions to mental processes, perception to abstraction, representation to meaning, knowledge to skill, language to thought, and adult cognition to child development. New to this 4th edition are new separate chapters on attention and individual differences. Summaries now follow each section, as well as concluding each chapter. More emphasis has been placed on cognitive psychology, reflecting a burgeoning area of research.