Which of the following is NOT one of the four fundamental concepts in cognitive neuropsychology?

• A. Modularity
• B. Functional Architecture
• C. Associations, Dissociations, and Double Dissociations
• D. Neuroplasticity

Answer: (D)

The thing being tested is which ideas are considered the fundamental building blocks for describing how cognitive processes are organized in cognitive neuropsychology. The best choice is that neuroplasticity is not one of those foundational concepts. Neuroplasticity is the brain’s capacity to change with experience or after injury; it’s a dynamic property of neural systems, not a principle used to map the structure and independence of cognitive functions.

In contrast, modularity argues that the mind contains specialized, relatively autonomous processing systems. Functional architecture refers to how these modules are arranged and interact to produce behavior. Patterns of associations, dissociations, and double dissociations are the empirical tools used to infer which processes are linked or separate, helping to identify distinct cognitive modules. For example, a dissociation occurs when one cognitive ability is impaired while another remains intact, suggesting they rely on different processes; a double dissociation shows the reverse pattern in a different case, strengthening the claim of separable modules.