How does the brain give rise to the mind? or conversely, How are mental ...
cogneuro literature; and (b) selections from the book Mind Hacks by Stafford &
Webb ...
PSY 595 – Cognitive Neuroscience – Fall 2013 Instructor: Phone: Office: Office Hours: e-mail:
Jeffrey P. Toth, Ph.D. 962-3213. TL 3088. M&W 1:30 – 2:30 pm or by appointment.
[email protected]
Course description: Cognitive neuroscience brings together two fundamental areas of scientific inquiry, the study of mental processes and the study of the physical brain. In essence, the field attempts to answer one of the most fascinating and perplexing questions in the history of science: How does the brain give rise to the mind? or conversely, How are mental processes implemented in the brain? Indeed, cognitive neuroscience can be viewed as an empirical exploration of the classic philosophical mind-body (mind-brain) problem. The goal of this seminar is to provide an overview of modern research on the neural bases of cognitive processes. Learning Outcomes: Successful completion of this course will enable a student to: (1) Understand the basic experimental methods and theoretical issues in the field of cognitive neuroscience; (2) Identify and critique the primary research literature on cognitive neuroscience; (3) Cogently communicate ideas and data related to cognitive neuroscience. Format: The format of the course revolves around student-led presentations and discussions. For each class, one or two students will lead a class discussion on a specific topic, organizing the discussion around one or more scientific articles. For the final 3-5 meetings, individual students will give a presentation to the class on a topic of their own choosing (which can be the same topic explored in their paper, described below). Readings: The main readings for the seminar will consist of (a) articles from the primary cogneuro literature; and (b) selections from the book Mind Hacks by Stafford & Webb (2006). Students are expected to read all assigned material prior to the class in which it is discussed. Grading: Grades for the course will be based on 100 total points: 15 from pre-class questions, 15 from class participation, 20 from leading class discussions, 20 from a final presentation, and 30 from a final paper. Grades will be assigned on a 10-point scale [A = 90-100, B = 80-89, C = 70-79, D = 60-69, F = < 60] with minuses appended to scores ending in 0, 1, or 2 and pluses appended to scores ending in 7, 8, or 9 (except for the grade of A for which there is no plus). Pre-class questions & comments: Prior to each class, students should post at least two questions or comments about the to-be-discussed papers to the Blackboard Learn Discussion Forum associated with this course no later than the 10pm the day before the scheduled class. Students (and the instructor) are encouraged to read and respond to these posts, but there is no expectation or grade implications for doing so. Each student will be allowed to skip posting questions for 2 class periods without penalty. Participation & Attendance: Given the discussion-based nature of this course, the degree to which the course is interesting and educational depends largely on you, the students. I thus strongly encourage you to read the material, ask questions, and participate in discussions. I also encourage you to attend all classes. Although I realize you may sometimes need to miss a class, multiple absences will be reflected in the participation portion of your grade.
PSY 595 – Cognitive Neuroscience – Toth 2
Leading Class Discussions: Student discussion leaders will have two main goals: To provide a general overview of the assigned readings, and facilitate discussion of those readings. Overviews can be as simple as verbal descriptions but could also include written outlines. The best way to facilitate discussion is to ask questions of the class (about definitions, background research, methods, interpretations, theories, extensions, etc.). Students are encouraged, but not required, to elaborate on their presentations with videos & demonstrations. Mind Hacks: The Mind Hacks book was chosen as a way for us to link theoretical ideas to real world behaviors and events. Each student will be asked to briefly present (5-10 minutes) one Mind Hack related to their class discussion topic, either through discussion or, better, demonstration, near the end of each Thursday class. Final Class Presentation: Students will make a 20-30 minute presentation on a topic of their choosing, preferably the same topic explored in their paper. Unlike leading a discussion, this presentation should be more lecture-like and done in PowerPoint. Prior to your presentation, you are encouraged (but not required) to make one short paper available to the class. If you do this, please make the paper available at least at least two days prior to your presentation. Final Paper: Your final paper should be either a review of research and theory in an area of cognitive neuroscience, or a research proposal. Recommended options for paper topics are presented below. Papers should be in APA format, ~12-20 pages in length, and will be due on the final day of class. Both kinds of papers (review or proposal) should provide a competent review of background research & theory. Review papers should then go beyond the extant literature by integrating and critically analyzing past research and theory. Research proposals should fill an empirical gap, clarify an empirical inconsistency, or test a theory-based hypothesis. I encourage you to speak with me about your paper during the course of the semester. Tentative Topic Schedule: Week 1 (Aug 25): Course Overview. Week 2 (Aug 27 & 29): Review of History, Anatomy, Methods, Principles, & Issues. Week 3 (Sept 3 & 5): Perception & Object Recognition. Week 4 (Sept 10 & 12): Lateralization & Motor Behavior. Week 5 (Sept 17 & 19): Attention & Executive Functions. Week 6 (Sep 24 & 26): Knowledge & Memory. Week 7 (Oct 1 & 3): Plasticity & Training. Week 8 (Oct 8): Neuroecononics (Judgment & Decision Making). Week 9 (Oct 15 & 17): Emotion & Reward.
Week 10 (Oct 22 & 24): Mirror Neurons & The Default Network.
Week 11 (Oct 29 & 31): Social Cognitive Neuroscience. Week 12 (Nov. 5 & 7): The Neural Basis of Consciousness. Weeks 13-16 (Nov 14, 19, 21, 26, & Dec 3): Student Presentations.
