Cognitive skills, also known as cognitive functions, cognitive skills or logical skills, are mind-based abilities that are required in the acquisition of basic knowledge, manipulation of data, and rational explanation of behavior. The term cognitive simply refers to the process by which information is processed, which includes memory, learning, information processing and reasoning. Humans are extremely complex and unique in their ability to process and use information, which are reflected in their wide variety of cognitive skills that include memory, learning, reasoning and so on.One aspect of cognitive skills deals with the storing of information that is relevant to a particular situation and time. This entails the ability to recall information that has been previously stored within one’s memory, but in a different order and in an irrelevant fashion to the information that is being accessed at the present moment. There is also a requirement to be able to match external stimuli that come into play in order to determine which information is relevant to what is currently going on within the individual’s mind.In order for you to practice effective problem-solving skills, you must first be able to control your cognitive processes. In this regard, it is not enough to pay attention to your surroundings; rather, you must be able to control your thoughts and focus on the task at hand, in order to solve problems. This means that you should mentally rehearse how to solve a specific problem and come up with a specific solution for it before you actually tackle the real problem itself. You can then apply this rehearsal when you face a similar problem in real life. By mastering the ability to control your cognitive processes, you will not only be able to pay attention to your environment, but will also have a number of useful problem-solving skills under your belt.
Salish Puthenveettil Salim 