DEFINITION OF COGNITIVISM

    According to Mergel (1998) cognitivism is a cognitivist theory that based on thought process behind the behavior. It means that the theory occurs inside the learners mind consciously. Moreover, it focuses on how people think, how people understand, and how people know (asiaeuniversity, 2012:107).How people think is the theory stresses in how our ways of thinking will impact to the  behavior. How people understand is the theory shows the people’s understanding related to outside world. How people know is the theory shows how the people know phenomenon outside the world. Of course, it derives from the process thatrt happens in human mind.

     An individual ‘s cognition plays a significant and primary role in the development and maintenance of emotional and behavioural responses to life situation (Prendes & Resko). In other words, cognitivist theory as the study of mental process could impact or influence  the individual’s emotion and behavioural responses because it is a process in determining on how person thinks, understands, and knows.