The terms ‘thought’ and ‘cognition’ are often used interchangeably, but they do have distinct meanings in psychology and philosophy.
Thought refers specifically to the mental processes that involve the manipulation of information. This includes generating ideas, making decisions, solving problems, and forming beliefs. Thought is often seen as a more specific activity—it’s what we do when we actively work through a question or challenge in our minds.
On the other hand, cognition encompasses a broader range of mental processes. It includes all forms of mental activity such as perception, memory, reasoning, and learning, in addition to thought. Cognition is the overall process of acquiring knowledge and understanding through experience and the senses. It’s a more holistic view of how we process information, covering everything from basic sensory input to complex decision-making.
To put it simply, while thought can be seen as a component of cognition, cognition itself includes all mental activities involved in processing information. Understanding this difference can help clarify discussions about how we think and learn.