HCCK03001U COG Introduction to Cognitive Science and Experimental Methods
The Master’s Programme in Cognition and Communication, 2019-curriculum:
Introduction to Cognitive Science and Experimental Methods: HCCK03001E
The course aims to provide students with knowledge and understanding of contemporary cognitive models of the mind. The course trains students’ ability to describe and explain the various research designs used by cognitive scientists and the relationship between experimental designs and cognitive models. The aim is for students to acquire competencies in demonstrating an adequate understanding of experimental designs, understanding and critically assessing contemporary research in a given domain of cognitive science, and independently presenting and arguing in favour of relevant positions in writing.
The course is divided into three main parts. The first part introduces students to general methodologies and methodological discussions in psychology and cognitive neuroscience, the second part introduces students to a number of core topics in cognitive science (e.g., perception, attention, memory, communication, and cognitive architecture), and the last part consists of practical lab exercises and introduction to basic statistical analysis. The weekly schedule for the last three weeks with lab exercises will be special
The academic targets for the course are:
Knowledge of:
- contemporary cognitive models of cognitive abilities such as perception, thinking, emotion, consciousness, action, mind-reading, and communication
- ways in which cognitive processes and human behaviour can be described and explained at various levels of explanation (ranging from descriptions of cognitive tasks to neurobiological implementation)
- the interdisciplinary nature of cognitive science and its different frameworks - from the classical computational models to connectionism
- key notions in contemporary philosophy of psychology and philosophy of mind.
Skills in:
- describing and explaining how applications of cognitive science may have relevance for communication
- describing and explaining the various research designs used by cognitive scientists
- describing and explaining the relationship between experimental design, experimental manipulations, and cognitive models.
Competencies in:
- demonstrating an adequate understanding of experimental designs
- understanding and critically assessing contemporary research in a given domain of cognitive science
- independently presenting and arguing in favour of relevant positions in writing.
The course literature consists of introductory textbooks in cognitive science and classic and new research papers.
- Category
- Hours
- Class Instruction
- 56
- Preparation
- 353,5
- Total
- 409,5
- Credit
- 15 ECTS
- Type of assessment
- Written assignment
- Exam registration requirements
The active class participation consists of:
- Minimum 75 % class attendance.
- Approval of 3 written exercises of each 2-4 standard pages.
- Student peer feedback on 2 of the written exercises.
- Exam period
January 2024
- Re-exam
February 2024
Course information
- Language
- English
- Course code
- HCCK03001U
- Credit
- 15 ECTS
- Level
- Full Degree Master
- Placement
- Autumn
- Schedule
- !
Study board
- Study Board of Communication
Contracting department
- Department of Communication
Contracting faculty
- Faculty of Humanities
Course Coordinators
- Haakon Lund (2-6b6f436b7870316e7831676e)
Lecturers
Jelle Pieter Bruineberg
Frederik T. Junker
Frans van der Sluis
Haakon Lund