Cognition is described simply as:

1. The word covers a wide family of mental activities. 2. Simply put, cognition is thinking. 3. It encompasses the processes associated with perception, knowledge, problem solving, judgment, language, and memory. 4. Reflexes happen without any of those processes being involved. _Source: OpenStax Psychology 2e (CC BY 4.0), Ch 7 'Thinking and Intelligence', sections 7.1-7.5_