What field studies the biological structures that underlie cognitive processes?

Cognitive neuroscience is the field that focuses on understanding the biological structures and processes that underlie cognitive functions, such as perception, memory, and decision-making. This discipline combines knowledge from psychology, neuroscience, and related fields to explore how the brain's anatomy affects cognition. For example, cognitive neuroscientists may study brain imaging results to identify which areas of the brain are activated when a person engages in different types of cognitive tasks.

In contrast, evolutionary psychology primarily examines how evolutionary processes shape human behavior and cognition, but does not focus specifically on the biological structures involved. Behaviorism concentrates on observable behaviors and their relationship with environmental stimuli, largely ignoring internal mental processes and biological influences. Developmental psychology studies how individuals grow and change throughout their lifespan, emphasizing behavioral and cognitive development but not specifically the biological underpinnings of these processes. Thus, cognitive neuroscience is uniquely positioned to address the question regarding the biological foundations of cognitive processes.