Cognitive psychology looks at how our minds work. It uses different ways to study mental activities. Here are the main methods:

1. Experimental Methods:

   • In controlled experiments, researchers change one thing at a time to see how it affects our thinking, memory, and how we see the world.
   • About 70% of studies in cognitive psychology use experiments to find out what causes changes in our thoughts.

2. Observational Methods:

   • This method involves watching people in their everyday life to learn about their thinking and behavior without changing anything.
   • Around 20% of cognitive research uses observation, especially when studying how people grow and develop.

3. Surveys and Questionnaires:

   • These are tools that ask people to share their thoughts and experiences about their thinking processes.
   • Surveys make up about 10% of cognitive studies. They help researchers gather information from many different people.

4. Neuroimaging Techniques:

   • Techniques like fMRI and EEG let scientists see what happens in our brains when we think about something or do a task.
   • Around 30% of current cognitive psychology research uses neuroimaging to link our thoughts to brain activity.

Together, these methods help us understand how our minds work and improve our knowledge of cognitive functions.