PSYK1700 Cognitive Psychology and Neuroscience Course description

The course gives an introduction to cognitive psychology and neuroscience. Themes addressed include attention, sensing, perception, acts, linguistic processes, problem-solving, thinking, learning and memory.

Admission to the programme.

After completing the course, the student is expected to have achieved the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and competence:

Knowledge 

The student can

• explain basic mechanisms in the neurobiological basis of behaviour

• describe methods used to study the central nervous system and damages in the central nervous system that affects human behavior, cognition and functioning

• describe key elements of cognitive psychology (such as memory, decision making, and attention)

• mention differences and similarities between scientific philosophical positions and empirical research within behavior analysis, cognitive psychology and neuroscience

Skills 

The student can

• describe and reflect on how one explains phenomena like human thinking and behaviour in cognitive psychology

Competence 

The student can

• present and evaluate their own and others presentation of relevant academic issues within cognitive psychology

Work and teaching methods used in the course are seminars, laboratory exercises and self-study. In the seminars, the students will present subject matter in groups.  Students will present issues from the syllabus, participate in discussions, and will receive feedback and supervision.

The students’ learning outcomes will be documented through presentations and the exam.

To prepare for the exam must the following obtain approved:

• Attendance and presence throughout the course's introduction day

• Formulation of a problem and preparing a tentative visual presentation (eg powerpoint) for presentation in a group

• Presence throughout the day of approx. 6 seminars, including participation in 1 group presentation

The required coursework must be approved before the students can take the supervised written exam.

Supervised individual written examination, four hours.

None

Grade scale A-F

All answers are assessed by one examiner.

An external examiner is used regularly, at a minimum of every third completion of the course. When selecting answers for external evaluation, a minimum of 10 percent of the answers shall be included, with no fewer than 5 answers. The external examiner’s assessment of the selected answers shall benefit all students.

Five ECTS overlap with the course PSYK1310 (15 ECTS) in neuroscience.