Psychology 2210B-001

Introduction to Animal 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 introduction to animal cognition, including topics such as classical and operant conditioning, memory, timing, and categorization.

 

Antirequisite: Psychology 2280E

 

Antirequisites are courses that overlap sufficiently in content that only one can be taken for credit. So if you take a course that is an antirequisite to a course previously taken, you will lose credit for the earlier course, regardless of the grade achieved in the most recent course.

 

Prerequisite: At least 60% in a 1000 level Psychology course 3 lecture hours, 0.5 course

 

Unless you have either the prerequisites for this course or written special permission from your Dean to enrol 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: Krista Macpherson Office Hours: By appointment Email: kmacphe3@uwo.ca

 

Teaching Assistant: Hayden MacDonald Office Hours: By appointment

Email: hmacdo6@uwo.ca

 

Time and Location of Classes: Mon 2:30-4:30pm

Wed 2:30-3:30pm

All lectures in UCC 146


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

Olmstead, M. C., & Kuhlmeier, V. A. (2015). Comparative Cognition. Cambridge University Press. This textbook is mandatory for the course.

 

4.0    COURSE OBJECTIVES

The course will provide a general introduction to research and theory in animal learning and cognition. Particular emphasis will be given to classical and instrumental learning, as well as current research on cognitive capacities of animals.


   4.1    STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

Upon successful completion of this course, student should be able to:

 

Summarize the history of animal cognition research and recognize its contributions to the fields of psychology, neuroscience and biology.

 

Identify the unique challenges of animal cognition research and describe methods used in the discipline to handle those challenges.

 

Explain our current understanding of cognition in a number of species and compare the cognition of a variety of species to identify how evolutionary pressures shape cognition in animals.

 

5.0     EVALUATION

There will be THREE tests, TWO given during the term and ONE during the exam period. The tests will not be explicitly cumulative although you must retain and understand earlier material in order to understand and discuss later material. The tests may include any or all of the following formats: True/ False, multiple choice, fill in the blank, short answer, essay.

 

 

Participation marks will be awarded based on the completion of 5 pop quizzes (two before the first exam, two between the first and second exams, and one between the second and final exam). If you miss a quiz, you may write and submit a 500-word summary of the readings assigned for the lecture that day. The dates of the quizzes will be posted on the course website once they have occurred, and it is your responsibility to check if you have missed one. The 500-word summary is due exactly one week from the date of the missed quiz, and will not be accepted after this one week time period. Failure to complete a quiz or submit a 500-word write-up will result in a mark of zero for that particular quiz.


Although the Psychology Department does not require instructors to adjust their course grades to conform to specific targets, the expectation is that course marks will be distributed around the following averages:


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

Exam 1 (February 5th, 2018):  30% of final grade

Exam 2 (March 12th, 2018):       30% of final grade

Final Exam (TBA):                    35% of final grade

Participation:                            5% of final grade


7.0   CLASS SCHEDULE

Tentative and subject to change. The only way to know what was covered in a particular lecture is to attend lectures. (Page numbers are for the assigned text and show the material that is related to what is planned for a particular lecture)

 

 

January  8        Course Outline and Chapter 1 (pages 1-30)

10       Anthropomorphism (Readings to be assigned)

15       Chapter 2 (pages 32-67)

17       Chapter 2 (pages 32-67)

22        Chapter 3 (pages 69-105)

24        Chapter 3 (pages 69-105)

29        Chapter 4 (pages 107-137)

31       Chapter 4 (pages 107-137)

 

TEST 1 ON MONDAY, FEBRUARY 5th WILL COVER ASSIGNED READING AND LECTURE MATERIAL FROM JAN 8th to JAN 31st, INCLUSIVE. THE TEST WILL BE IN THE USUAL CLASSROOM.

 

 

Feb

7

Guest lecture—Readings to be announced

 

12

Chapter 5 (pages 146-183)

 

14

Chapter 5 (pages 146-183)

 

19/21    NO CLASS—READING WEEK

 

 

26

Chapter 6 (pages 185-212)

28

Chapter 7 (pages 213-246)

March

5

Chapter 7 (pages 213-246)

 

7

Chapter 8 (pages 248-270)

 

TEST 2 ON MONDAY, MARCH 12th WILL COVER ASSIGNED READING AND LECTURE MATERIAL FROM FEB 7th to MARCH 7th, INCLUSIVE. THE TEST WILL BE IN THE USUAL CLASSROOM.

 

 

14

Chapter 9 (pages 271-307)

19

Chapter 9 (pages 271-307)

21

Chapter 10 (pages 309-338)

26

Chapter 10 (pages 309-338)

28

Chapter 11 (pages 339-365)

April

2

Chapter 11 (pages 339-365)

 

4

Chapter 12 (pages 366-389)

 

9

Chapter 13 (pages 391-404)

 

11

Any remaining material and course summary

FINAL EXAM WILL COVER READINGS AND LECTURE MATERIAL FROM MARCH 14th to APRIL 11th, INCLUSIVE. DATE AND LOCATION OF FINAL EXAM TBA (APRIL 14-30, 2018).

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

Western’s policy on Accommodation for Medical Illness can be found at:
http://westerncalendar.uwo.ca/2017/pg954.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
- 2017 Calendar References

No electronic devices, including cell phones and smart watches, will be allowed during exams.