Psychology 3295F-001
Special Topics in Behavioural and Cognitive Neuroscience
“Emergence of Cognition”
If there is a discrepancy between the outline posted below and the outline posted on the OWL course website, the latter shall prevail.
1.0 CALENDAR DESCRIPTION
An in-depth analysis of research in selected topics of behavioural and cognitive neuroscience.
Prerequisites: Psychology 2820E, or both Psychology 2800E and 2810, and one of Psychology 2220A/B, 2221A/B or Neuroscience 2000
3 lecture hours, 0.5 course
Unless you have either the requisites for this course or written special permission from your Dean to enroll in it, you may be removed from this course and it will be deleted from your record. This decision may not be appealed. You will receive no adjustment to your fees in the event that you are dropped from a course for failing to have the necessary prerequisites.
2.0 COURSE INFORMATION
Instructor: Rhodri Cusack
Office and Phone Number: NSC 203, x86381
Office hours: By appointment
Email: rhodri@cusacklab.org
Teaching Assistant: Laura Cabral
Office: NSC
Office Hours: By appointment
Email: lcabral@uwo.ca
Time and Location of Lectures: Thursdays 9.30-12.30, SSC-3014
If you or someone you know is experiencing distress, there are several resources here at Western to assist you. Please visit: http://www.uwo.ca/uwocom/mentalhealth/ for more information on these resources and on mental health.
Please contact the course instructor if you require material in an alternate format or if you require any other arrangements to make this course more accessible to you. You may also wish to contact Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) at 519-661-2111 ext 82147 for any specific question regarding an accommodation.
3.0 TEXTBOOK
There is no textbook for this class. Course readings will be articles and other materials made available through OWL. A number of these are compulsory and must be read before the class.
4.0 COURSE OBJECTIVES
Cognitive systems can only be truly understood if we know how they develop. Infant cognition undergoes enormous development by the first birthday, and identifying what emerges when is an exciting frontier for developmental cognitive neuroscience. This course will present the methods for probing the developing mind and brain in preverbal infants, and review understanding of the emergence of sensorimotor, language, executive, metacognitive, consciousness, and social systems. These will be related to the perspectives of nature and nurture, which have been called the Batman and Robin of developmental cognitive neuroscience – readily available to solve problems, but never around for long enough to be unmasked. Finally, it will discuss how cognitive development is affected by prematurity, neurodevelopmental disorders and low socio-economic status.
5.0 EVALUATION
Participation in class 10%
Presentation of a paper in class 10%
At end of regular (lecture) classes except the first one, student presentation of paper relevant to the topic (10 mins per paper, 5 mins discussion)
Written critique two papers (2 x 375-625 words; 10% apiece) 20%
Sign up first class, due at start of class relevant to paper
Mini-mid term (short answers on lecture material) 10%
Grant proposal
Progress report (250 words) 10%
Oral presentation 15 mins + 10 mins question 10%
Written grant proposal (2000 words) 30%
Due on Dec 10, 2015
70% 1000-level and 2000-level courses
72% 2190-2990 level courses
75% 3000-level courses
80% 4000-level courses
The Psychology Department follows the University of Western Ontario grading guidelines, which are as follows (see http://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/general/grades_undergrad.pdf ):
A+ 90-100 One could scarcely expect better from a student at this level
A 80-89 Superior work that is clearly above average
B 70-79 Good work, meeting all requirements, and eminently satisfactory
C 60-69 Competent work, meeting requirements
D 50-59 Fair work, minimally acceptable
F below 50 Fail
6.0 TEST AND EXAMINATION SCHEDULE
Oct 22 Mini mid-term
Nov 26 Class Presentations
Dec 3 Class Presentations
7.0 CLASS SCHEDULE
Sept 10 Orientation to Course, and Measuring Infant Behaviour.
Sept 17 Measuring Infant Brain Development
Sept 24 Vision and Face Processing (guest lecture from Laura Cabral)
Oct 1 Emotion and Memory
Oct 8 Audition and Language (guest lecture from Conor Wild)
Oct 15 Executive Function and Theory of Mind
Oct 22 No lecture [Mini mid-term]
Oct 29 Socioeconomic Status
Nov 5 Preterm Birth, Brain Injury, and Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Nov 12 Unmasking Batman and Robin
Nov 19 Consciousness, Metacognition, Samurai Swords, Love and Caffeine
Nov 26 No lecture [Class Presentations]
Dec 3 No lecture [Class Presentations]
8.0 STATEMENT ON ACADEMIC OFFENCES
Students are responsible for understanding the nature and avoiding the occurrence of plagiarism and other scholastic offenses. Plagiarism and cheating are considered very serious offenses because they undermine the integrity of research and education. Actions constituting a scholastic offense are described at the following link: http://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/appeals/scholastic_discipline_undergrad.pdf
As of Sept. 1, 2009, the Department of Psychology will take the following steps to detect scholastic offenses. All multiple-choice tests and exams will be checked for similarities in the pattern of responses using reliable software, and records will be made of student seating locations in all tests and exams. All written assignments will be submitted to TurnItIn, a service designed to detect and deter plagiarism by comparing written material to over 5 billion pages of content located on the Internet or in TurnItIn’s databases. All papers submitted for such checking will be included as source documents in the reference database for the purpose of detecting plagiarism of papers subsequently submitted to the system. Use of the service is subject to the licensing agreement, currently between Western and Turnitin.com http://www.turnitin.com
Possible penalties for a scholastic offense include failure of the assignment, failure of the course, suspension from the University, and expulsion from the University.
9.0 POLICY ON ACCOMMODATION FOR MEDICAL ILLNESS
The University of Western Ontario’s policy on Accommodation for Medical Illness can be found at:
http://www.westerncalendar.uwo.ca/2015/pg117.html
Students must see the Academic Counsellor and submit all required documentation in order to be approved for certain accommodation:
http://counselling.ssc.uwo.ca/procedures/medical_accommodation.html
10.0 OTHER INFORMATION
Office of the Registrar web site: http://registrar.uwo.ca
Student Development Services web site: http://www.sdc.uwo.ca
Please see the Psychology Undergraduate web site for information on the following:
http://psychology.uwo.ca/undergraduate/student_responsibilities/index.html
- Policy on Cheating and Academic Misconduct
- Procedures for Appealing Academic Evaluations
- Policy on Attendance
- Policy Regarding Makeup Exams and Extensions of Deadlines
- Policy for Assignments
- Short Absences
- Extended Absences
- Documentation
- Academic Concerns
- 2015 Calendar References
No electronic devices, including cell phones or smart watches, will be allowed during exams.
