Mark A. McDaniel

Mark A. McDaniel is an American research professor at Washington University in St. Louis, where he has taught in the Psychology department since 1989. His research focuses on the effects of past experience and how it shapes current behavior. His most important works include Memory and Cognition in Its Social Context, Interposition and Cognitive Illusions, Cognitive Guidance of Learning, and Thinking: The Expansion of Cognitive Science.

McDaniel has been a fellow of the American Psychological Association as well as a member of the Society of Experimental Psychologists and the Association for Psychological Science. He has been honored for his work on memory and cognition, including being awarded the APA's award for Distinguished Scientific Contributions to Psychology in 2010. McDaniel has served on the editorial board of numerous journals, including Memory, Cognitive Science, Psychological Science, and Cognition.

Memory and Cognition in Its Social Context, first published in 1993, is one of McDaniel's groundbreaking textbooks in the psychology of memory. In it he outlines the various components that structure our understanding of memory, including the nature of memory, the relation between memory and learning, the social contexts of memory, and the effects of past experience on current behavior. Memory and Cognition in Its Social Context provides students and professionals with a comprehensive overview of the cognitive psychology behind memory.

In Interposition and Cognitive Illusions, McDaniel explores the illusory phenomena that are the foundation of many of our thought processes. He argues that recognizing such illusions can lead us to a better understanding of how our minds work and why we perceive the world the way we do. He dives into a range of topics, including how memory and experience shape our understanding of events, how we adapt our beliefs to fit our environment, and how illusory cognitive processes can lead us astray.

In Cognitive Guidance of Learning, McDaniel examines the various forms of guidance that our cognitive processes take in order to enable us to learn effectively. He discusses how our current states are determined by past occurrences, how our goals and intentions govern our behavior, and how the goals and strategies of meta-cognition create constructive learning. His analysis goes beyond merely describing what happens as a result of learning, and instead looks at the cognitive structures that enable it to occur.

Thinking: The Expansion of Cognitive Science brings together theoretical contributions from over a decade of research on the topic of thinking. Drawing from a variety of disciplines, McDaniel introduces concepts and theories that bridge the gap between the traditional and newer forms of cognitive science. He explores the ways in which we perceive, think, and feel, and how we can better understand the nature of thinking and its effects on our everyday lives.

The work of Mark A. McDaniel has greatly enriched our understanding of the psychological causes, consequences, and implications of memory, cognition, and thinking. Through his work, he has provided invaluable insight into the ways in which our past experiences and current behavior shape the complex mental processes that underlie our everyday lives. His books are essential reading for those who wish to further their knowledge in the field of cognitive psychology and its practical applications.