Topics in psychology, language and cognition (5cr)

Submitted by masterccil on Mon, 29/06/2020 - 09:25
Code: 
570516
Teacher: 
Lluís Fuentemilla
Ruth de Diego-Balaguer
Department: 
Departament de Cognició, Desenvolupament i Psicologia de l'Educació (UB)
Language: 
English
Year: 
2020/2021
Course: 
Master courses
Speciality: 
Mandatory Psychology courses
Credits: 
5.00
Start / End: 
25/01/2021 - 22/03/2021
Semester: 
2nd
Schedule: 
Mondays, 15:00 - 18:00. Additionally: Friday 12/03
Location: 
Online. Please email instructor for the link.
Goals: 

The course is intended to offer an overview of different topics around cognitive psychology from computational and neurocognitive perspectives, with a special focus on knowledge acquisition, representation, memory systems and learning mechanisms. Similarities and differences between language and other higher cognitive functions (music and reward processing) will also be analyzed.

Structure and Contents: 
  • Session 1: Understanding cognitive functions from a neuroscientific point of view
  • Session 2: Neuroimaging methods (EEG and fMRI/DTI)
  • Session 3: Memory systems, learning and memory representation
  • Session 4: Brain and prediction
  • Session 5: Memory and decision making
  • Session 6: Implicit/explicit learning, conditioning and emotional learning
  • Session 7: Hands-on session (EDA and EEG)
  • Session 8: Language learning and consolidation
  • Session 9: Integration and updating existing information
  • Session 10: Language communication and memory systems
Methodology: 

This course is organized into topics to be developed by different teachers. Each topic will involve a main lecture followed by a discussion of specific readings or activities based on the analysis and interpretation of specific problems. The session on experimental and brain imaging methods will take place at the cognitive neuroscience Brainvitge Lab (www.brainvitge.org).

Assessment: 

Regular attendance and active participation in the sessions (20%). Final examination based on six open questions/problems related to the main topics in the program (80%). More specific details about the final choice of topics for evaluation will be offered before the end of the course.

Bibliography: 
Gazzaniga, M.S. Ivry, R, and Mangun, G.R.  Cognitive Neuroscience: The Biology of Mind. IV edition.  W.W. Norton. 
Squire, L. R. (2004). Memory systems of the brain: a brief history and current perspective. Neurobiology of learning and memory, 82(3), 171-177.

Ullman, M. T. (2001). A neurocognitive perspective on language: The declarative/procedural model. Nature reviews neuroscience, 2(10), 717-726.

Besson, M., & Schön, D. (2001). Comparison between language and music. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 930(1), 232-258.