Memory and Cognition

Course Overview

This course surveys selected topics in modern cognitive psychology with an emphasis on memory, categorization, thinking, and problem solving. It is intended for undergraduate students with basic knowledge of psychology (prerequisite Psych 1100). Some questions we will consider are: What is cognitive psychology and how does it fit into the broader framework of cognitive science? What methods do scientists use to study memory and high-level cognition? What behavioral regularities characterize human and animal memory? What kinds of memory are there? Where does memory reside in the brain? What are some important theories and models of memory? What are their strengths and weaknesses? How does one evaluate a scientific theory? Can memory research help us study and remember better? Are the testimonies of honest eyewitnesses always reliable? How do people classify things into categories? How are concepts represented and organized in semantic memory? Are humans fundamentally rational or irrational? What tools allow us to construct, and to understand, a reasoned argument? What tools allow us to recognize a fallacious or fraudulent argument? What is the distinction between deductive and inductive reasoning? How do people solve problems? What is the role of insight in problem solving? Can the creative process be studied scientifically and, if so, how? How can fluid intelligence and creativity be measured? Can they be improved?

This course is a core course in the Cognitive Science Undergraduate Minor.

The course syllabus is available in pdf format.