Course syllabus for

Cognitive Processes, 15 credits

Kognitiva processer, 15 hp
This course syllabus is valid from spring 2016.
Please note that the course syllabus is available in the following versions:
Course code
2PS029
Course name
Cognitive Processes
Credits
15 credits
Form of Education
Higher Education, study regulation 2007
Main field of study 
Psychology 
Level 
G2 - First cycle 2 
Grading scale
Fail (U), pass (G) or pass with distinction (VG)
Department
Department of Clinical Neuroscience
Decided by
Programnämnd 8
Decision date
2012-11-06
Revised by
Programme Committee 8
Last revision
2015-11-04
Course syllabus valid from
Spring 2016

Specific entry requirements

Passed results of the first semester (at least 7,5 credits) of the Study Programme in Psychology.
 

Objectives

Part 1

Learning goals
On completion of the course, the student should be able to:

  • define the concepts of cognition and cognitive neuroscience and brief describe the historical development of the subject and its current status as scientific subject
  • account for central concepts, theories and methods within cognitive psychology (eg. memory, languages, visuospatial ability, intelligence, executive functions, problemsolving and decision making)
  • account for the neurobiological basis for the above functions
  • discuss individual differences in relation to cognitive processes

Skills and attitudes
On completion of the course, the student should be able to:

  • reflect ethically on how to handle test situations and test results with a starting point in his/her initial experience of administrating cognitive tests

Part 2

Learning goals
On completion of the course, the student should be able to:

  • independently analyse behavioral data with an emphasis on comparisons between groups by means of analyses of variance methodology

Skills and attitudes
On completion of the course, the student should be able to:

  • review own and others results critically and understand the meaning of statistical significance
  • be able to design and carry out a scientific experiment and report this in written text
  • be able to carry out and interpret calculations (e g correlation, ANOVA) in the statistical program SPSS

Content

The course consists of two (2) parts:

Cognitive Processes, 10.5 hp Part 1 deals with human cognition and addresses areas within cognitive psychology as working memory, episodic memory, semantic memory, implicit memory functions, cognitive plasticity, language functions, intelligence, executive functions, problem-solving and decision making. Also included are sleep, emotion and gender and how these factors interact with cognitive performance. In most cases, aspects of cognition are presented from a theoretical perspective, in which cognitive theories are presented, as well as from a biological perspective, in which the biological basis for the cognitive functions are presented. By means of practical exercises and discussions during seminars, further knowledge and understanding of cognitive functions are given. Statistical Methods, 4.5 hp Part 2 provides a repetition of earlier statistical methods and introduces statistical correlations, analysis of variance, non-parametric tests, power calculation and statistical pitfalls. Practical knowledge is given in computer labs, but also during the laboratory work. In the laboratory work, aspects of cognition is examined in an experiment, where problem formulation, data collection, data analysis and interpretation of the data are performed in groups, and the documented and presented in a written scientific report. Finally, the laboratory reports are discussed at a critical review occasion.

Teaching methods

Part 1
The course starts with an introduction to cognitive psychology. Teacher-supervised and webbased lectures are interleaved with seminars, practical exercises and quizzes, most of them are compulsory and require attendance. At the seminars, required attendance is at least 80%. Absence at more than 20% of the seminars is substituted by written complementary assignments.

Part 2
Teaching of statistical methods starts after the course introduction and consist of webbased and teacher-supervised lectures and computer exercises. The computer exercises are compulsory and require attendance. On these occations, quizzes on the textbook content will be given. As a practical excercise, the students will collect data in experiments, and later analyse and report the results in a written report. These laboratory sessions are compulsory and require attendance.

The course director assesses whether absence from a compulsory education element can be replaced. If this is possible, the course director decides how the learning objectives should be achieved. Until the student has participated in the compulsory parts (or compensated any absence with assigned tasks in accordance with instructions from the course director) the final study results can not be reported. Absence from a mandatory education element could mean that the student can not do the part until the next time the course is offered.

Examination

Part 1
Part 1 of the course Cognitive Processes is examined in a written exam at the end of the course. The contents of the reading list, but also the contents of lectures and practical exercises are examined in the written examination.

The written exam is given one of the grades Pass with distinction (VG), Pass (G) or Fail (U). In order to get Pass with distinction on the part Cognitive Processes Pass with distinction on the examination is required, but also that the compulsory seminars are completed. For Pass on the part Cognitive Processes, Pass on examination is required, but also that the compulsory seminars are completed.

Part 2
The part Statistical Methods is examined in a written examination. The contents of the reading list, but also the contents of lectures and practical exercises are examined in the written examination. The students will also write a laboratory report, in which they present the results of the experimental study they have conducted.

The written examination is given one of the grades Pass with distinction, Pass or Fail. On the laboratory report, only one of the grades Pass/Fail is given. In order to get Pass with distinction on the part Statistical Methods, Pass with distinction on the
examination and Pass on laboratory report is required, but also that the compulsory lectures are completed. In order to get Pass on
the part Statistical Methods, Pass on the examination and Pass on laboratory report is required, but also that the compulsory lectures are completed.

For Pass with distinction on the course, Pass with distinction on the written examination of Cognitive Processes (part 1) and at least Pass on written examination of Statistical Methods (part 2) is required. In addition, Pass on
computer exercises, the laboratory report and that the compulsory lectures are completed is also required.

Limitation in the number of examinations: Students who do not pass a regular examination are entitled to re-sit the examination on five more occasions. If the student has failed six examinations/tests, no additional examination is given. Each occasion the student participates in the same test counts as an examination. Submission of a blank exam paper is regarded as an examination. In case a student is registered for an examination but does not attend, this is not regarded as an examination.

Transitional provisions

The transition rules follow KI's local guidelines for examination.

Other directives

Course evaluation from the expected learning outcomes of the course syllabus takes place according to KI's local guidelines. Results and possible measures are returned to the students on course web.

Teaching in English may occur.

Literature and other teaching aids

Mandatory literature

The latest editions of the literature should be used.

Borg, Elisabet; Westerlund, Joakim Statistik för beteendevetare. : Faktabok
Purves, Dale. Principles of cognitive neuroscience
Kolb, B.; Whishaw, I. Q. Fundamentals of human neuropsychology
Myers, David G. Psychology
Reisberg, Daniel. Cognition : exploring the science of the mind

Suggested literature

Gazzaniga,, M. S. The cognitive neurosciences
Brace, Nicola; Kemp, Richard; Snelgar, Rosemary. SPSS for psychologists
Howitt, Dennis; Cramer, Duncan Introduction to statistics in psychology