Applied Cognitive Science in South Africa.

South Africa has a 350-year history of colonization by European powers, and the racial and other inequalities from that period persist, posing significant challenges. Rates of HIV and tuberculosis are very high, as are rates of personal injury from violent crime, and certain adverse environmental conditions. These challenges often have brain and cognitive repercussions. Applied cognitive psychologists are actively involved in conducting research responsive to these issues. While Applied Cognitive Psychology in South Africa may have a small global footprint, it has made significant contributions to both peer-reviewed research and offered practical interventions. We review some of this research here on topics including eyewitness identification, face recognition, and several others reflecting the relationship between health and cognition (e.g., neurodisabilities, sleep, stress, trauma), as well as research on education and cognition. We also outline some challenges in having this applied research recognized at the level of national policy and practice. General Audience Summary: Applied cognitive science in South Africa develops locally tailored, low-cost tools to assess and improve brain health and education for a population facing high adversity in a highly unequal society. We provide an overview of this work and discuss how this applied research might increase its impact on national policy and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]