PSY 421: Advanced Cognitive Psychology

Introduction –

Syllabus and Foundations of Cognitive Psychology

Syllabus

• Course and Instructor Information– PSY 421– T/TH 8-9:15 am– 106 Boucke Building– Instructor: Alicia J. Knoedler, Ph.D.– Office Hours: T/TH 2-3pm; whenever door is open (439

Moore Building)Course webpage:http://www.personal.psu.edu/faculty/a/j/ajk12/courses/acp.htmlAngel course page:https://cms.psu.edu/frameIndex.htm

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• Course Media– Required Textbook:

Robinson-Riegler, G., & Robinson-Riegler, B. (2004). Cognitive psychology: Applying the science of the mind. Boston: Pearson/Allyn & Bacon. ISBN: 0-205-32763-X

– Recommended Reference:American Psychological Association (2001). The publication manual of the American Psychological Association (5th ed.). Washington, DC: APA.

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• Course Content and Goals– This course involves an intensive study of human cognition - how we

perceive information and events, interpret them, learn, remember, use language, make decisions, and other cognitive abilities and applications. The purpose of this course is to give you an overview of the field of cognitive psychology and allow you to more closely study some aspects of cognition that are of interest to you. There is also an applied component to this course – taking what you have learned about cognition to further explore and understand mental processes and cognitive behavior in the "real world."

– Some lecture and note-taking will be involved in this course. However, students will be required to be active, through discussions and learning exercises and activities, in their encoding and evaluation of information about how people learn, remember, and modify their thoughts and behaviors.

– The goals for the course are for the students to learn to:1. Read, write, and think effectively about cognitive psychology2. Develop and utilize research tools typical in the field of cognitive psychology3. Effectively present research ideas4. Apply research ideas from cognitive psychology to other aspects of human and/or

animal behavior

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• Course Assignments1. Critical Thinking Essays (45%)

2. Collaborative Experimental Proposal (16%) and Presentation (9%)

3. Final Paper (25%)

4. Attendance/Discussion (5%)

NO EXAMS or QUIZZES

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• Grading Scale:The following grading scale will be used in

this course (measure is points earned, rounded to nearest whole number):

A = 100 to 93% B+ = 89 to 87% C+ = 79 to 77A- = 92 to 90% B = 86 to 83% C = 76 to 73% B- = 82 to 80% C- = 72 to 70%

D+ = 69 to 67% F = Below 60%D = 66 to 63%D- = 62 to 60%

Course Tools

• ANGEL Course Space– Everything will be posted there – syllabus, lecture slides,

assignments, grades, etc.– Turn in all assignments via the ANGEL course space– Email to the instructor should be sent through ANGEL

rather than psu.edu email address– Use course website via instructor’s webspace as a backup

• To prepare for each class – read the material from the text, print out or download the lecture slides

• To do well in this course – prepare for class, show up, pay attention, participate in discussion and activities, use your brain and think

Questions…..

Assignment – Due September 7 by 8 am

• Please log in to the ANGEL course space

• Complete the Class Questionnaire via the Assignments folder

• Download the slides for September 7 class

• Any difficulties should be reported in class so that they can be resolved

Foundations of Cognitive Psychology

Part 1 – What is this course about and what have I gotten myself into?

Defining Cognitive Psychology

• Plain and simple: “The study of mental processes” • Constructs and concepts – name what is studied

within cognitive psychology• Many other areas of psychology and disciplines in

the social sciences utilize research findings, theories, and models from the field of cognitive psychology

• Basic Assumptions:1. Mental processes exist2. Humans are active (rather than passive) information

processors 3. Mental processes can be identified through the use of

behavioral measures (like reaction times, and patterns of correct or incorrect responses)

Studying Cognitive Psychology

• Examples– The Monty Hall Three-Door Problem– Irrelevant Speech– False Memories– Word Superiority