Originally published in 1988 Applied Cognitive Psychology draws on the psychology of perception, attention, and cognition to give an understanding of some everyday activities and skills. Paul Barber focuses on processes involved in selecting simple actions, face perception, reading, and tasks requiring attention skills. He uses practical problems as starting points for discussion, including mental overloading in air-traffic controllers, cooker-hob design, the use of Photokit/identikit, and reading from computer screens. The book also examines the strengths and limitations of the basic analytical approach of 'information-processing' in psychology.

As well as providing a textbook for students of psychology and ergonomics, Applied Cognitive Psychology will still be welcomed by those from other disciplines – management studies, education, sports science – who need to understand skilled behaviour in applied settings.