Cognitive Neuroscience: A Very Short Introduction

This is, as its title suggests, a very short book, but it is one that covers the basic tenets of the fascinating field of neuroscience in a thoroughly engaging way. The brain has multitudinous functions, of course; cognitive neuroscience is the marriage between psychology and new techniques in brain imaging to find out how the mind works. This book addresses questions in areas such as perception, memory, decision-making, reasoning, and action. There are many, many questions about how the mind works, but this book looks at only three in each area, rather as a test set to explore how scientists and researchers would go about answering such questions. The author expertly explains the science – the experiments, the results, and their interpretations – in writing that is easily understandable, yet it does not oversimplify it, and his enthusiasm is infectious and exciting. This book is really a lot of fun! You will learn so much about how the brain and mind work but will realize how much is still unknown and grow in appreciation for this field. The book is perfectly pocket- or purse-sized, with short chapters ideal for a quick sip while you are waiting for something, so take it with you!