Challenges in the use of treatment to investigate cognition

Abstract

The use of data from people with cognitive impairments to inform theories of cognition is an established methodology, particularly in the field of cognitive neuropsychology. However, it is less well known that studies that aim to improve cognitive functioning using treatment can also inform our understanding of cognition. This paper discusses a range of challenges that researchers face when testing theories of cognition and particularly when using treatment as a tool for doing so. It highlights the strengths of treatment methodology for testing causal relations and additionally discusses how generalization of treatment effects can shed light on the nature of cognitive representations and processes. These points are illustrated using examples from the Special Issue of Cognitive Neuropsychology entitled Treatment as a tool for investigating cognition.

Keywords:

• cognitive neuropsychology
• cognitive intervention
• cognitive treatment
• cognition
• cognitive theory

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Funding

During the preparation of this paper Lyndsey Nickels was funded by an Australian Research Council Future Fellowship [FT120100102]; Brenda Rapp by a National Institute of Health grant [grant number DC012283].

Notes

1. In this paper we use the terms treatment, therapy, intervention, training, and rehabilitation interchangeably. While for some these may have different meanings, in this context we believe they are synonymous—all refer to something that is provided to someone with a cognitive disorder/impairment/problem with the aim of improving the targeted cognitive function.

2. It is beyond the scope of this paper to discuss single case study intervention design in detail. Those interested in the debate are referred to Aphasiology, 2015, Volume 29, Issue 5, which presents a series of commentaries on a target article by Howard et al. (2015) followed by a response by Nickels et al. (2015).