Cognitive Science is an interdisciplinary enterprise interfacing with psychology, neuroscience, computer science, philosophy, and linguistics. Cognitive science seeks to answer many fundamental and long-standing

questions about the nature of mind and mental processes. In the last few decades, it has established itself as a truly interdisciplinary science. Given the current advances, it is expected that it will become even more interdisciplinary. Cognitive Science is not yet a flourishing discipline in India. Recently, the Department of Science and Technology of the Government of India has designated Cognitive Science as a fourth pillar of knowledge along with nano-, bio-, and information technologies and has started major research initiatives in Cognitive Science.

Under the UGC Scheme of Universities with Potential for Excellence, the University of Allahabad was selected for developing “Behavioural and Cognitive Sciences” as an Island of Excellence. As a follow-up, the University established the Centre of Behavioural and Cognitive Sciences (CBCS) in 2002, for providing education of merit and distinction in line with new developments and challenges, as a constructive opportunity for advancement of scientific knowledge through basic and applied research and teaching as well as outreach programmes. The objectives of the academic programme are to provide comprehensive training and prepare the students for a professional/research/academic career, to develop a richer understanding of mental processes and neural mechanisms underlying cognition using behavioural, computational and neurophysiological techniques. The faculty and students at the Centre are involved in research programmes pertaining to vision, attention, perception, linguistics, cognitive neuroscience, consciousness, cognitive disorders, cognitive modelling and human computer interactions. There is a strong emphasis on research projects and exposure to various theoretical and experimental studies in Cognitive Science. The Centre and the University provide an ideal environment for study and research in Cognitive Science.

The first International Conference on Cognitive Science at the Centre of Behavioural and Cognitive Sciences was held in December 2004 followed by the Second International Conference on Cognitive Science on December 10 to 12, 2006. The mission of the conferences was to explore the truly interdisciplinary nature of cognitive science and create awareness of cognitive science among the interested students and researchers. The conferences served as the meeting point for scientists from interfacing disciplines like psychology, neuroscience, computer science, linguistics, and philosophy. The selected papers of the first conference are published by SAGE, New Delhi in a book titled “Advances in Cognitive Science: Volume 1”. The first volume consisted of twenty-seven chapters organized [Page xviii]into six sections (Cognitive Processes, Cognitive Neuroscience, Computational Modelling, Culture and Cognition, Cognitive Development and Intervention, and Consciousness).

The Second International Conference in 2006 comprised three keynote lectures, twenty-three oral presentations and thirty-four poster presentations. The conference was inaugurated by Prof. K. Ramakrishna Rao, Chairman, Indian Council of Philosophical Research, Delhi, and chaired by Prof. R. G. Harshe, Vice-Chancellor, University of Allahabad. The keynote lectures were presented by three prominent experts in cognitive science: Prof. Bruce Overmier, University of Minnesota, USA, Prof. Ira Noveck, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, France, and Prof. James Georgas, University of Athens, Greece. There were oral sessions and symposia on cognitive neuroscience, computational modelling, language and cognition, time perception, mind and consciousness, and attention. In addition to faculty members from various institutions in India and abroad, doctoral research scholars and master students attended the conference. Based on initial review of abstracts and papers, the editors requested the selected authors to submit full papers for the volume. All the editors reviewed the papers and fifteen contributions were selected for publication in the current volume. The contributors are senior as well as young cognitive scientists from various countries including USA, Canada, UK, France, Belgium, Italy, Japan, Spain, Singapore, and India. The volume contains research articles addressing the challenges faced in cognitive science requiring cross-linking of different interfacing disciplines like psychology, neuroscience, and computer science.

The recent findings from cognitive science presented in the volume will serve as a useful resource for scientists working in the area. The volume represents a good sample of the current trends in major sub-disciplines in cognitive science. It contains four sections: (a) Learning and Memory, (b) Vision and Attention, (c) Time Perception, and (d) Language, Cognition, and Development. The first section focuses on basic cognitive processes of learning and memory including simple associative processes, spatial memory, sequence learning, and implicit learning. The second section focuses on vision and attention with contributions on multisensory spatial perception, basic attentional processes, and modelling of attention. The third section contains four chapters focusing on time perception. The fourth section on language, cognition, and development includes two chapters on both normal and abnormal development especially focusing on language development and related cognitive abilities.

We would like to acknowledge the efforts and support of office staff especially M. P. Srivastav, Puneet Srivastav, and Shabeeh Abbas who have contributed to the conference and preparation of this volume. We would like to thank all the colleagues for their enthusiastic support. We would like to thank all the CBCS students as well as research scholars from the Department of Psychology who worked very hard for the conference. We thank SAGE Publications for bringing out this volume.