What term describes the mental activities involved in acquiring and using knowledge?

The term that best describes the mental activities involved in acquiring and using knowledge is cognition. Cognition encompasses a wide range of mental processes, including perception, attention, memory, reasoning, problem-solving, and decision-making. It refers to how we think, learn, and understand information, making it fundamental to psychological functioning.

Intelligence, while related to cognitive abilities, specifically refers to an individual's capacity to learn, understand, and apply knowledge. It is often assessed through various tests and does not fully encompass the broader range of cognitive processes.

Comprehension refers specifically to the understanding of information or concepts, which is just one aspect of cognition. It does not capture the entirety of the mental activities involved in acquiring and using knowledge.

Consciousness pertains to the state of being aware of and able to think about one's own existence, thoughts, and surroundings. While closely related to cognitive processes, it does not directly describe the mechanisms of acquiring and utilizing knowledge.

Thus, cognition is the most accurate term to describe the mental activities associated with knowledge acquisition and usage.