| Cognitive Psychology PSYC 3100, Fall 2002 Meets MWF 10:00-10:50 and Th 08:00-08:50 in Murrah Hall, Room 205 Instructor: Xavier Sonnerat Office: Sullivan-Harrell Hall, Room 385 Office Hours: I should be around most afternoons; drop by or schedule an appointment Phone: 974-1384 Email: xav_son_psy@hotmail.com Website: http://www.oocities.org/xavsonnerat/Psyc3100 Required Text: Ashcraft, M. H. (2002). Cognition (3rd ed.). New Jersey: Prentice Hall. You may also want to visit the website related to this book to help you prepare for class and exams at http://www.prenhall.com/ashcraft Additional readings will be assigned throughout the semester Course Description and Objectives: Cognitive Psychology is a scientific discipline concerned with the acquisition of information from the environment through the senses, the manipulation and storage of this information, and its impact on the way we perceive the world around us. As such, cognitive psychology investigates some of the most fundamental psychological phenomena and functions that constitute the human psyche. As an analogy, cognitive psychology could be compared to sub-atomic physics, where elementary particles combine in mysterious ways to form atoms, molecules, and all matter around us while being invisible to the naked eye. Thus, cognitive psychology explores basic processes such as perception and attention, which operate in complex ways at all times without our conscious awareness, and how they allow the selective uptake of information from the environment. This information is then weaved with already held information into higher-order knowledge to form the basis for memory, the production and understanding of language, as well as thinking, decision making, and problem solving. As a science concerned with mainly invisible and unconscious processes, cognitive psychology is driven by theories that require clever experiments to be tested. Therefore, an important objective for this course will be to gain a good understanding of these theories and of experimental ways to test them. This will require a critical evaluation of current research done in the field, as well as the ability to synthesize large amounts of information into a global picture of the human psyche. Course Format: This is your class. True learning can only occur by processing new information actively. In other words, passively listening to a lecture and taking notes does not lead to a good understanding of information. Thus, your book and other assigned readings will provide you with basic “factual” information, and class time will be used to discuss this material, compare different points of view, integrate the information with prior knowledge, participate in activities that illustrate important concepts, and put these concepts into practice when possible. Your role in building a good learning environment is crucial. You will be expected to have read all assigned materials prior to class and to share your thoughts, ideas, and insights with the class in an open-minded fashion so that we can all learn from each other. You will also be expected to come to class with questions regarding what you read, so that we can spend time going over concepts that are difficult to understand, and focus on issues that the class thinks are most important. Discussion sessions will also be organized when evaluating research articles, as they can be very abstract and difficult to understand although they are central to active research in cognitive psychology. I will give you questions in advance when reading these articles, and your active participation in discussions will be strongly expected to clarify major issues and share opinions. Course Requirements: 1. Attendance It would be a mistake not to attend every class, as, due to the class format discussed above, you would miss many important aspects of the course. Although reading the book is necessary to learn information, it is in no way sufficient to gain a satisfactory understanding of the material. The exams will be structured to test your understanding of psychological processes studied in cognitive psychology and your ability to synthesize a wide variety of information. Not attending class will prevent you from participating in discussions and activities, which could greatly impair you and affect your participation/discussion grade. You should not miss more than two classes in the semester without bringing me proper documentation to justify your absence. If this were to happen, we would schedule an appointment to discuss your absences and, if your attendance behaviors did not improve after that, you may be dropped from the class with all the negative consequences it entails. If you were to miss class for any reason, it would be your responsibility to see me and inquire about what was done in class and whether you missed an assignment. You should also ask your classmates for their notes. Please warn me in advance if you know you are going to miss a class. Please be courteous of everybody in the class by arriving promptly and not disrupting class. 2. Reaction papers Reading the assigned chapters before coming to class is an essential part of the course. The book will familiarize you with the concepts we will explore in more depth in class and will provide very useful background information for discussion. Psychologists must be able to do two things when evaluating information: (a) They must have a critical understanding of the particular topic covered in an article or book chapter, and (b) They must be able to integrate various kinds of information into a sensible holistic understanding. The latter will be assessed in part by the research paper (see below). The former will be assessed through reaction papers you will write about one or two critical aspects covered in the assigned chapters. These papers should contain a title, a 50 word maximum abstract, a 150-200 word summary of the chosen concept you want to discuss, and a 300-350 word personal reflection on the topic. This reflection could center on an idea for future research you had while reading the chapter, a criticism of the evidence presented, or an explanation of how it relates to your own area of interest in psychology (or other field if appropriate). The reason for respecting the word limit for each paper is that some academic journals and conferences require them and it will therefore be good practice for you to express yourself within fixed limits. The papers are due in class on the day we start talking about a specific topic. You will quickly find out that it is a very challenging exercise to expose a clear idea in so few words. However, it will prove to be an extremely valuable exercise in synthesizing information and shaping your mind to express yourself clearly and succinctly, a very important skill a researcher must have. You will have to turn-in 6 reaction papers of your choice throughout the semester, and I advise you to start doing so early. Papers will be graded on a 10-point scale; papers turned in late will be graded on a 5-point scale. No paper will be accepted after November 27. 3. Exams Three exams will be given during the semester. Each of them will focus on materials covered in the assigned chapters. Exams will consist of multiple-choice items, short-answer questions, as well as essay questions designed to test your critical thinking skills, ability to synthesize information, and understanding of relations between various concepts. Questions will focus on basic information covered in your book, lecture materials, and major themes brought up in discussions. Details about how to study efficiently for these exams will be discussed in class during the semester. Please feel free to see me if you have any concerns regarding the tests. If you know you are going to miss an exam, please see me as soon as possible so that we can make the necessary arrangements for you to take the test early. If you do not notify me of your absence early enough, or if you miss the exam altogether, you will be given the opportunity to take a make-up test if and only if you bring me the written proof of an extreme case of emergency. If you miss the exam and do not take the make-up test you will be given a 0. 4. Research Paper An APA (American Psychological Association) research paper will be required. The paper will follow the format used in most psychological journals and will be based on research that you conduct. Although the experiments will be designed and conducted as a group of up to 4 people, each person in the group will turn in their own paper. The format required for the paper and the group assignments will be discussed in class in detail. All paper topics must be approved by me and you should therefore schedule an appointment the first week of September to discuss what you want to do. On October 11, the Introduction and Method sections of the paper will be due, and you will then start collecting data (If you do not hand in the paper by this date, you will lose 25 points per day on this section). I will provide feedback on this section and it will be graded. Data collection must be completed by November 8, and you should schedule another appointment to discuss the way you will analyze your data. The final paper (including the revised version of the introduction and method, and the new results and discussion sections) is due on November 27. If you do not hand in the paper by this date, you will lose 25 points per day. There will be no exceptions to the above policies. Please feel free to talk with me about your paper or experiments at any point in the process, and to show me some drafts before you turn in any section of the paper. The goal of the exercise is not to let you write a paper out of thin air and to criticize you about it at the end but to assist you step by step in the writing of a good research paper. Thus, I'll always be open to offer any guidance or advice, even for the graded sections of this project. For your information: Take advantage of the Writing Center for your paper! They can help. The Writing Center is located in John Stone Hall. Its hours are Monday through Thursday 2-5 and 6-9, Thursday and Friday 10-1, and Sunday 6-9. For more info go to http://www.millsaps.edu/dean/writing/center_info.htm 5. Poster Presentations/Group Evaluations At the end of the semester you will be required to make a poster presentation of the project that you have worked on for the paper. Posters will be created and presented as a group. Posters are due in class on December 4. No late posters will be accepted!! Your grade will be based both on the quality (i.e., how informative it is) of the poster and how well you answer questions during the presentation. Each member of the group must speak during the presentation. Additionally, each member of the group will be able to evaluate the other group members' performance in running the research and preparing the poster. This is to assure that some group members do not get an easy grade doing nothing while others work their tail off. This evaluation will be reflected in your personal grade for the poster. If your research project turns out well, you should submit your poster or present your paper at an undergraduate research conference in the Spring. Please see me if you're interested in this. This would be a great opportunity if you're planning on going to graduate school! 6. Participation/Discussion As mentioned above, active participation in the class is strongly expected and will count toward your final grade. This will be particularly important for the discussion of research articles. These articles will be available on reserve at the library. You will have to read these articles carefully and critically so as to share your understanding of them in class. As already discussed, I will provide questions to facilitate your reading, which should prepare you for the discussions. Further details will be provided in class. 7. Extra Credit For the moment, I have two extra-credit assignments in mind. You will notice that, although you have to turn-in only 6 reaction papers, you will have 12 opportunities to do so. If you so desire, you will get extra credit (2 points for good papers, 1 point for average papers, 0 point for poor papers) for each reaction paper you turn in after the 6th one. Again, no paper will be accepted after November 27. Additionally, you will be given the opportunity to participate in experiments done in the psychology department. You will earn 2 extra credit points for each experiment you participate in. Email Account: Every student at Millsaps College has a user-ID. For this course you are required to activate this account and check your email. I often email the class due dates for assignments, reminders, or class changes through email. It is your responsibility to check your email for this information. Course Grade: The grade for the course will be determined as follows: Participation/Discussion 8 % of final grade Reaction Papers 7 % of final grade Introduction/Method of paper 8 % of final grade Final Paper 18 % of final grade Presentation/Group evaluation 5 % of final grade Exams 54 % of final grade (18% each) Grading Scale: No curve will be used to compute your grades. Grades will be rounded to the nearest whole number (decimal value of .50 and above will be rounded up, and decimal values of .49 and below will be rounded down). A 93-100 B 83-86 C 73-76 D 63-66 A- 90-92 B- 80-82 C- 70-72 D- 60-62 B+ 87-89 C+ 77-79 D+ 67-69 F 59 & below Special Needs: If you need special assistance in the classroom due to a disability of any kind, please inform me of what I could do to assist you as soon as possible. Academic Misconduct: Millsaps College takes the Honors Code very seriously. Academic misconduct, such as cheating on exams or plagiarizing papers, will be promptly reported to the Honors Council. Academic Honor Code of Millsaps College: Millsaps College is an academic community dedicated to the pursuit of scholarly inquiry and intellectual growth. The foundation of this community is a spirit of personal honesty and mutual trust. Through their Honor Code, the students of Millsaps College affirm their adherence to these basic ethical principles. An Honor Code is not simply a set of rules and procedures governing the students' academic conduct. It is an opportunity to put personal responsibility and integrity into action. When students agree to abide by an Honor Code, they liberate themselves to pursue their academic goals in an atmosphere of mutual confidence and respect. The success of the Code depends on the support of each member of the community. Students and faculty alike commit themselves in their work to principles of academic honesty. When they become aware of infractions, both students and faculty are obligated to report them to the Honor Council, which is responsible for enforcement. The pledge signed by all students upon entering the College is as follows: As a Millsaps College student, I hereby affirm that I understand the Honor Code and am aware of its implications and of my responsibility to the Code. In the interests of expanding the atmosphere of respect and trust in the College, I promise to uphold the Honor Code and I will not tolerate dishonest behavior in myself or in others. Each examination, quiz, or other assignment that is to be graded will carry the pledge: "I hereby certify that I have neither given nor received unauthorized aid on this assignment. (Signature)" The abbreviation "Pledged" followed by the student's signature has the same meaning and may be acceptable on assignments other than final examinations. It is the responsibility of students and faculty to report offenses to the Honor Code Council in the form of a written report. This account must be signed, the accusation explained in as much detail as possible, and submitted to the Dean of the College. Note: Although I did my best to provide accurate information in this syllabus, I reserve the right to make changes at any time if they become necessary. The following tentative schedule may also be modified in the future to allow flexibility for the class’ special needs and interests. I will give you as much notice as possible if any changes are made, and an updated version of this syllabus will always be posted on the class website at http://www.oocities.org/xavsonnerat/Psyc3100 Although I put a lot of thought into preparing this course, please feel free to share your ideas with me about ways to improve it at any point during the semester. As stated above, this is your class and you should see me as an instrument you can use to enhance your learning experience. Any constructive feedback will always be appreciated. Tentative Schedule Date Assignments August Tues 27 Course overview Wed 28 Discuss Chapter 1 Thur 29 No Class Fri 30 Discuss Chapter 1; Reaction Paper due*; Schedule appointment to discuss paper topic September Mon 2 Read Chapter 2; Reaction Paper due* Wed 4 Discuss Chapter 2 Thur 5 Discuss Chapter 2 Fri 6 No Class Mon 9 Read Chapter 3; Reaction Paper due* Wed 11 Discuss Chapter 3 Thur 12 No class Fri 13 Discuss Chapter 3 Mon 16 Read Chapter 4; Reaction Paper due* Wed 18 Discuss Chapter 4 Thur 19 No Class Fri 20 Discuss Chapter 4 Mon 23 Review Wed 25 Test 1 Thur 26 No Class Fri 27 Go over Test 1 Mon 30 Read Chapter 5; Reaction Paper due* October Wed 2 Discuss Chapter 5 Thur 3 No Class Fri 4 Discuss Chapter 5 Mon 7 Read Chapter 6; Reaction Paper due* Wed 9 Discuss Chapter 6 Thur 10 Discuss research article: Whittlesea, B. W. A., & Williams, L. D. (2000). The Source of Feelings of Familiarity: The Discrepancy-Attribution Hypothesis. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 26, 547-565. Fri 11 Discuss Chapter 6; Introduction and Method sections due in class Mon 14 Read Chapter 7; Reaction Paper due* Start collecting data when you get your paper back Wed 16 Discuss Chapter 7 Thur 17 Discuss research article: Reber, A. S. (1989). Implicit Learning and Tacit Knowledge. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 118, 219-235. Fri 18 Discuss Chapter 7 Mon 21 NO CLASS: Mid-semester Holiday Wed 23 Read Chapter 8; Reaction Paper due* Thur 24 Discuss research article: Loftus, E. F. (1993). The reality of repressed memories. American Psychologist, 48, 518-537. Fri 25 Discuss Chapter 8 Mon 28 Discuss Chapter 8 Wed 30 Review Thur 31 No Class November Fri 1 TBA Mon 4 Test 2 Wed 6 Discuss Chapter 9; Reaction Paper due* Thur 7 Discuss research article: Wolf, M., & Bowers, P. G. (1999). The double deficit hypothesis for the developmental dyslexia. Journal of Educational Psychology, 91, 415-438. Fri 8 Discuss Chapter 9; Schedule appointment to discuss results Mon 11 Read Chapter 10; Reaction Paper due* Wed 13 Discuss Chapter 10 Thur 14 No Class Fri 15 Discuss Chapter 10 Mon 18 Read Chapter 11; Reaction Paper due* Wed 20 Discuss Chapter 11 Thur 21 No Class Fri 22 Discuss Chapter 11 Mon 25 Read Chapter 12; Reaction Paper due* Wed 27 Final Paper due Thur 28 NO CLASS: Thanksgiving Holidays Fri 29 NO CLASS: Thanksgiving Holidays Mon 2 Discuss Chapter 12 Wed 4 Review Thur 5 No Class Fri 6 Presentations Thur 12 Final Exam @ 9am * If this is not one of the 6 topics you want to write on you of course don’t have to turn in anything on that date, although you should still read the chapter carefully to be able to participate in class. |
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| Students: Scroll down to the schedule and click on the appropriate date to get the outline for that class period. (Please let me know if you have any problems doing so) |