PSYC 701

Cognitive Basis of Behavior

Fall 2007

Last Modified 8/22/2007

 

Time: 1:30 – 4:10pm Thursdays

 

Classroom: Innovation 133

 

Office:      2058 David King Hall

                     Ph: 993-4255

                     email: mpeters2@gmu.edu           (please put PYSC 530 in the subject header)

 

Office Hours:    11-11:50 Fridays (tentative) or by appointment.

I fully encourage you to contact me by email if you have any questions about the class.

 

Text: Cognitive Psychology (2nd edition), Goldstein

             + reading list

 

Prerequisites: Enrolled in a GMU psychology graduate program or consent of instructor.

 

Objectives: This course is an advanced review of current topics, concepts, and theories related to cognition. The focus is broad, surveying current theories about how humans perceive, imagine, remember, plan, reason, solve problems, choose how to act, and use language.  The emphasis will be on understanding at a behavioral level, but modeling and neuroscience approaches will be introduced and discussed to the degree that they inform about behavior. The focus of the lectures will be on theories, and on research that has tested those theories.

 

Attendance Policy: Although I do not grade on attendance, this is a graduate level course and I expect (barring unforeseen circumstances) to see you in class each week.

 

GMU Honor Code: George Mason University has a code of Honor that each of you accept by enrolling as a student. My expectation is that all of the work you do for me in this class will be the work of one individual. Having said that, I fully encourage you to discuss the readings and topics raised in this class with your fellow students.

 

Disabilities: If you are a student with a disability and you need academic accommodations, please see me and contact the Disability Resource Center (DRC) at 703-993-2474.  All academic accommodations must be arranged through that office."

Exam Make-up Policy: You may take a test after (or before) the scheduled date only if you (a)  receive my permission before the day of the test, or (b) have a valid excuse (note from a doctor, judge, sergeant, etc.).  Papers will not be accepted beyond the due date.  Homework assignments will not be accepted late.  

 

A+ 97+          
A 93-96    
 
A- 90-92     Grading
 
B+ 87-89     Discussion
30
  
B 83-86     Paper
30
  
B- 80-82     Exams 1-2
40
  
C 70-79      
100
 points total
F 0-69          

 

Paper (30%):  Your grade will be determined in part by a short paper to be due at the semesterŐs end. Your task in writing the paper will be to summarize and critique a journal article from the recent [i.e. 2002+] cognitive psychology literature. Two suggestions are Psychological Science and Psychonomic Bulletin and Review, both of which feature shorter articles written for the broader scientific community. The papers should be no less than 8 pages in length (double spaced, and excluding title and references). Approximately half the assignment should consist of a summary in which you (a) identify the research question, (b) identify the independent and dependent variables, (c) summarize the results, and (d) summarize the researcher(s)Ő conclusions.  The rest of the assignment should include your evaluation of the method, conclusions, etc., and a paragraph on why this study is important in the cognitive psychology literature.  You must clear each article with me before you submit it, and you must turn in a copy of the article with your critique (including figures).

 

A detailed description of requirements for the paperŐs content and format will be distributed early in the semester. You will need to give me a copy of the paper (email or hardcopy), which I will review and approve. The paper is due on December 6th, and any papers that are turned in late will lose one letter grade per day. I will be happy to discuss paper topics with you and give you feed back on rough drafts.

 

Discussions/Readings (30%): Pairs of students will be responsible for leading a class discussion of each of the assigned readings. The responsible students should prepare a Powerpoint slide or two or a handout to help structure the discussion. Please note that this assignment requires that all students read the article/chapter ahead of time and be prepared to discuss it during the assigned class. The presenter should NOT spend much time summarizing the factual aspects of the article. Please note that the reading dates may be changed as the semester progresses. A sign-up sheet for presentations will be circulated at the first class period.

 

       To facilitate class discussion, non-presenting students will be responsible for emailing the presenters and the instructor at least 24 hours prior to the date and time of the assigned discussion. The email should suggest a question or comment about the assignment that would be an interesting point for discussion. The presenters, of course, do not have to address each of the questions or comments, but the information from non-presenters can form the basis for some of the discussion of each article.

 

Tests (40%): There will be 2 tests/Exams.                                                                     

 

Calendar:

Note: The schedule below is tentative, and though I will try to follow it as closely as possible changes may occasionally be necessary.  In the event that an exam date is changed, you will be notified at least one week in advance.

 

Note that September 12th is the last day to add this class and September 29th is the last day to drop this class.

 

 

Chapter

Topic

Reading

30-Aug

1 & 2

Intro+ neuro

6-Sep

3

Perception

Wilson PBR

13-Sep

4

Attention

Fan et al.

20-Sep

5

WM

Kane & Engle

27-Sep

6

LTM

 

4-Oct

test 1

 

 

11-Oct

7

Everyday Memory

Schacter

18-Oct

8

Knowledge/Semantic

25-Oct

9

 Imagery

Pylyshyn 2003

1-Nov

10

Langauge

 

8-Nov

11

Problem Solving

Anderson

15-Nov

12

Decision Making

Kahneman 2003

22-Nov

Thanksgiving

 

 

29-Nov

test 2

 

 

6-Dec

Paper Due

 

 

13-Dec

 

 

 

 

 

Anderson, J. R. (1996). ACT: A simple theory of complex cognition. American Psychologist, 51, 355-365.

 

Fan, J.I., McCandliss, B. D., Somer, T., Raz, A., and Posner, M.I. (2002). Testing the efficiency and  independence of attentional networks. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 14, 340-347.

 

Kahneman, D. (2003).  A perspective on judgment and choice:  Mapping bounded rationality.  American Psychologist, 58, 697-720.

 

Kane, M. J., & Engle, R. W. (2002). The role of prefrontal cortex in working-memory capacity, executive attention, and general fluid intelligence: An individual differences perspective. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 9, 637-671.

 

Pylyshyn, Z. (2003). Return of the mental image: Are there really pictures in the head? Trends in Cognitive Science, 7, 113-118.

 

Schacter, D. L. (1999). The seven sins of memory: Insights from psychology and cognitive neuroscience. American Psychologist, 54, 182-203.

 

Wilson, M. (2002). Six views of embodied cognition. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 9, 625-636.