Marymount University Cognitive Psychology Syllabus (PSY 260)

Overview
This online introductory cognitive psychology course was designed in a modular format that students work through from beginning to end. Each topic has corresponding OER material for students to review (most often readings and/or videos), a video lecture (not included), a brief quiz to check understanding of content (not included) , and various virtual cognitive psychology experiments, discussions and brief writing assignments. Currently there is no cumulative exam for the course, In lieu of an exam, students write a reflection journal, with entries due at the end of each module (five in total). These entries consist of a response to a prompt that encourages students to link theories and findings learned in the module to their daily lives.
Learning & Cognition Course Information
This online introductory cognitive psychology course was designed in a modular format that students work through from beginning to end. Each topic has corresponding OER material for students to review (most often readings and/or videos), a video lecture (not included), a brief quiz to check understanding of content (not included) , and various virtual cognitive psychology experiments, discussions and brief writing assignments. Currently there is no cumulative exam for the course, In lieu of an exam, students write a reflection journal, with entries due at the end of each module (five in total). These entries consist of a response to a prompt that encourages students to link theories and findings learned in the module to their daily lives.
Major Assignments:
- “Check Your Understanding” Quizzes (24 in total)
- Virtual Activities (various)
- Reflection Journal Entries (5 in total)
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course students will be expected to:
- describe the major milestones and contributors to our understanding of human cognition;
- describe the major features of cognitive processes including perception, attention, memory, learning, reasoning, decision-making and problem solving;
- compare and contrast different theories of cognitive function;
- participate in classic studies related to cognition; and
- apply information acquired in the class to improve our own cognitive processes.
Module 1: Perception & Attention
Overview:
This module introduces the discipline of cognitive psychology and the fundamentals of visual and auditory perception and attention. For each topic, students review OER, watch a 10-15 minute recorded lecture (not included), take a low-stakes quiz to check understanding (not included) and complete 1-3 virtual experiments, discussions, or assignments (not included).
Topic | Module Learning Outcomes | Readings & Other Media |
Approaches to Studying Learning & Cognition / Introduction to the Brain |
| Films Media Group. (2011). Cognitive psychology. Films On Demand. https://wrlc-mar.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01WRLC_MAR/16rmtng/alma99186035949404106 McLeod, S.Perspectives: Cognitive Psychology. Simply Psychology. https://www.simplypsychology.org/cognitive.html Stango, C., & Walinga, J. (2014). 4.2 Our Brains Control Our Thoughts, Feelings, and Behaviour. Introduction to Psychology - 1st Canadian Edition (). BCcampus. |
Basics of Visual Perception |
|
Kerstin Beckert (Producer/DIrector). Visual Perception – How It Works. [Video] simpleshow foundation.
Stangor, C., & Walinga, J. (2014). 5.2 Seeing. Introduction to Psychology - 1st Canadian Edition. BCcampus. https://opentextbc.ca/introductiontopsychology/chapter/4-2-seeing/ Dumper, K.5.6 The Gestalt Principles of Perception. Introductory Psychology. Pressbooks. |
Object Recognition |
|
Levitin, D. (2002). Perception. Foundations of cognitive psychology core readings . MIT Press. https://wrlc-mar.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01WRLC_MAR/ab3e0t/alma9w9185862681604106 Instructor note: read p. 178-183 only Spielman, R. et al. 5.6 Gestalt Principles of Perception. Psychology 2e . OpenStax. https://openstax.org/books/psychology-2e/pages/5-6-gestalt-principles-of-perception
|
Face Recognition & Imagery |
| Films Media Group. (2013). Face recognition. Films On Demand. https://wrlc-mar.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01WRLC_MAR/ab3e0t/alma99186033456204106
Imagery. Cognitive Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience . Wikibooks. https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Cognitive_Psychology_and_Cognitive_Neuroscience/Imagery Harris, A. M., & Aguirre, G. K. (2007). Prosopagnosia. Current Biology, 17(1), R7-R8. 10.1016/j.cub.2006.11.043 https://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(06)02524-3 |
Auditory/Speech Perception |
|
VanderHeyden, A. Perception of Continuous Speech . Psycholinguistics. Wikiversity. https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/Psycholinguistics/Perception_of_Continuous_Speech BBC (Producer). (2010, -11-10). McGurk Effect: Try this bizarre audio illusion! [Video] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-lN8vWm3m0&feature=youtu.be SciShow Psych (Producer). (2018, -08-06). How Auditory Illusions Trick Your Brain into Hearing Things. [Video] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KP9HFcK6YOM&feature=youtu.be From Ear to Phoneme: the Phonological Problem. From Sound to Meaning: Hearing, Speech and Language. OER Commons. http://www.oercommons.org/courses/from-sound-to-meaning-hearing-speech-and-language/view# |
Selective Attention |
| Friedrich, F. Attention. Introduction to Psychology: The Full Noba Collection . NOBA.
Levitin, D., & Levitin, D. (2002). Attention and Performance Limitations. Foundations of cognitive psychology core readings . MIT Press. https://wrlc-mar.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01WRLC_MAR/ab3e0t/alma99185862681604106 Instructor note: read p. 378-388 |
Change & Inattention Blindness |
| Simons, Daniel. Failures of Awareness: The Case of Inattentional Blindness. NOBA https://nobaproject.com/modules/failures-of-awareness-the-case-of-inattentional-blindness#authors
https://www.apa.org. https://www.apa.org/monitor/apr01/blindness |
Module 2: Memory
Overview:
In this module, students review models of memory, theories of learning and forgetting, and seminal studies of memory phenomena (e.g., childhood amnesia, the misinformation effect).
Topic | Module Learning Outcomes | Readings & Other Media |
Concepts & Models |
| Memories as Types and Stages. (2015). Introduction to Psychology. University of Minnesota Libraries Publishing edition, 2015. This edition adapted from a work originally produced in 2010 by a publisher who has requested that it not receive attribution. https://open.lib.umn.edu/intropsyc/chapter/8-1-memories-as-types-and-stages/ McDermott, K. Memory (Encoding, Storage, Retrieval). NOBA. https://nobaproject.com/modules/memory-encoding-storage-retrieval |
Learning & Forgetting |
| How We Remember: Cues to Improving Memory. (2015). Introduction to Psychology . University of Minnesota Libraries Publishing edition, 2015. This edition adapted from a work originally produced in 2010 by a publisher who has requested that it not receive attribution. https://open.lib.umn.edu/intropsyc/chapter/8-2-how-we-remember-cues-to-improving-memory/ McLeod, S. Levels of Processing. Simply Psychology. |
Module 3: Language
Overview:
The language module addresses the cognitive processes involved in reading, producing speech and comprehending both written and spoken language. (Speech perception was reviewed in Module 1, but could be included here also).
Topic | Module Learning Outcomes | Readings & Other Media |
Reading |
| Beck, C. (1986). Cognitive Approaches to Understanding Reading: Implications for Instructional Practice. The American Psychologist, 41(10), 1098–1105. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.41.10.1098 https://wrlc-mar.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01WRLC_MAR/ohokda/cdi_proquest_journals_614302919
Reading. Psycholinguistics. Wikiversity. |
Language Comprehension |
| Parsing. Psycholinguistics. Wikiversity. https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/Psycholinguistics/Parsing
Gureckis, T., & Goldstone, RL. (2010). Schema. In The Cambridge encyclopedia of language science http://pubs.cogs.indiana.edu/pubspdf///23352/23352_schemaforlanguage.pdf |
Speech Production |
| Speech Comprehension and Speech Production. Neurocognition of Language. Wikibooks. Instructor note: read only Section 3: Speech Production
Models of Speech Production. Psycholinguistics. Wikiversity. https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/Psycholinguistics/Models_of_Speech_Production |
Module 4: Thinking & Reasoning
Overview:
Here, students learn about the cognitive processes underlying various higher level thinking skills, such as problem-solving, judgement and decision-making.
Topic | Module Learning Outcomes | Readings & Other Media |
Problem solving |
| Andrade, M. Problem Solving. Cognitive Psychology. College of the Canyons. https://www.merlot.org/merlot/viewMaterial.htm?id=1379689
Berti, A. Agnosia. Encyclopedia of human behavior. (2012). ProQuest Ebook Central. |
Expertise |
| Hanson, G. (2016). A Brief History of Expertise. In Master Therapists. Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/med:psych/9780190496586.003.000 |
Judgement |
| Levitin, D. (2002). Judgment under Uncertainty: Heuristics and Biases. Foundations of cognitive psychology core readings . MIT Press. https://wrlc-mar.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01WRLC_MAR/ab3e0t/alma99185862681604106 Instructor note: read Chapter 25 (under Uncertainty: Heuristics and Biases, in Part XII - Decision Making) Decision Making. Boundless Psychology: Cognition. Lumen Learning. https://courses.lumenlearning.com/boundless-psychology/chapter/decision-making/ |
Decision Making |
| Andrade, M. Decision Making. Cognitive Psychology. College of the Canyons. https://www.merlot.org/merlot/viewMaterial.htm?id=1379689
https://nobaproject.com/modules/judgment-and-decision-making |
Reasoning |
| Andrade, M. Reasoning. Cognitive Psychology. College of the Canyons. https://www.merlot.org/merlot/viewMaterial.htm?id=1379689
Biases and Reasoning Heuristics. Cognitive Science: an Introduction. Wikibooks. https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Cognitive_Science:_An_Introduction/Biases_and_Reasoning_Heuristics |
Module 5: Broadening Horizons
Overview:
The final module brings together topics more recently examined in cognitive psychology, including emotion, individual differences and the effects of culture on cognition.
Topic | Module Learning Outcomes | Readings & Other Media |
Emotion & Cognition |
| Theories of Emotion. Boundless Psychology: Cognition. Lumen Learning. https://courses.lumenlearning.com/boundless-psychology/chapter/theories-of-emotion/
SciShow Psych (Producer). (2018). How to Get Over That Broken Heart—But Also Learn From It. [Video] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVc6jgQJefo&feature=youtu.be
Pessoa, L. (2009). Cognition and emotion. Scholarpedia. |
Consciousness |
| Pettinello, M. Consciousness. The Psychology Of Emotions, Feelings and Thoughts. OpenStax. https://cnx.org/contents/zBRSs9vY@29.1:98teHxmm@13/Consciousness CrashCourse (Producer). (2014). Consciousness: Crash Course Psychology. [Video] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jReX7qKU2yc&feature=youtu.be |
Individual Differences |
| Stangor, C., & Walinga, J. (2014). Defining and Measuring Intelligence. Introduction to Psychology - 1st Canadian Edition. BCcampus. https://opentextbc.ca/introductiontopsychology/chapter/9-1-defining-and-measuring-intelligence/
|
Cross-cultural Perspectives |
| Winerman, L.The culture-cognition connection. APA Monitor, https://www.apa.org/monitor/feb06/connection
https://www.psychologicalscience.org/observer/the-mind-in-the-world-culture-and-the-brain |