Бакалавриат
2026/2027
Когнитивная психология
ID 1173446
Статус:
Курс по выбору (Социология и социальная информатика)
Кто читает:
Департамент социологии
Где читается:
Санкт-Петербургская школа социальных наук
Когда читается:
4-й курс, 1, 2 модуль
Охват аудитории:
для всех кампусов НИУ ВШЭ
Преподаватели:
Аленина Евгения Алексеевна
Язык:
английский
Кредиты:
5
Контактные часы:
48
Course Syllabus
Abstract
Every day our mind performs incredibly complex computations. It helps us to make sense out of sensory information, memorize different things, learn new concepts and categories, make decisions and creatively solve problems. All these topics are studied by cognitive psychology. The course is designed for students that already have basic knowledge in psychology and want to deepen their understanding of human cognition. Students will learn about the most influential theories and empirical studies of perception, attention, memory, learning, thinking, and consciousness. Seminar activities designed to develop critical thinking and communication competence, while group projects and home assignments promote the ability to apply knowledge to real-life problems.
Learning Objectives
- describe major concepts in cognitive psychology
- analyze and critically evaluate theories and empirical studies in cognitive psychology
- understand the connection between basic and applied research in cognitive psychology
- apply major concepts and theories of cognitive psychology to real-life problems
Expected Learning Outcomes
- Apply memory principles to real-life problems
- Critically evaluate direct and indirect theories of perception
- Critically evaluate theoretical perspectives on human decision-making
- Define terms: attention, divided attention, selective attention, inattention blindness, change blindness
- Describe and provide examples of memory processes (encoding, storage, and retrieval)
- Describe different heuristics and biases in decision-making (anchoring, framing, representativeness, availability, and etc.)
- Describe the multi-store memory model (Atkinson & Shiffrin)
- Describe the structure of long-term memory (E. Tulving)
- Describe theories of forgetting (displacement, trace decay, repression, interference)
- Describe types of sensations and distinguish between distant vs. contact senses; general vs. special senses.
- Describe сognitive psychology as a part of cognitive science
- Distinguish between connectionist and symbolic approaches to mental representation.
- Explain the relationship between applied and basic research in cognitive psychology
- Find, evaluate and use the necessary information from different sources in order to develop a critical test that allows to evaluate if an artificial intelligent system is conscious
- Identify trends and issues in cognitive psychology research.
- List the assumptions of the information processing approach to cognition
Course Contents
- Cognitive Psychology: Introduction & Historical Overview
- Sensation & Perception. Attention.
- Memory
- Learning, Thinking, and Decision-Making
- Trends and challenges in cognitive psychology
- Consciousness. Human vs. Artificial Intelligence
Assessment Elements
- Project 1
- Seminar Participation 2
- Project 2
- Exam testIn cognitive psychology, the effects of technology use on human cognitive functions (attention, memory, thinking, speech, etc.) are actively studied. The possibility of developing developmental interfaces (so-called brain training) is discussed, but many works are clearly technophobic. Create a presentation (up to 10 minutes) or a written report (3-4 pages) describing the results of your project. Task Formulate a specific topic along the general lines of “Effects of technology use on human cognitive function,” divide into groups and record in a table. Find and analyze articles on the chosen topic, present a literature review, and draw conclusions Formulate practical recommendations on how this technology can be used for human benefit.
- Seminar Participation 1
- Intermediate test10 questions of multiple choice test.
Interim Assessment
- 2026/2027 1st module0.3 * Intermediate test + 0.3 * Project 1 + 0.4 * Seminar Participation 1
- 2026/2027 2nd module0.3 * Exam test + 0.3 * Project 2 + 0.4 * Seminar Participation 2
Bibliography
Recommended Core Bibliography
- Weisberg, R. W., & Reeves, L. (2013). Cognition : From Memory to Creativity. Hoboken, N.J.: Wiley. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=531239
Recommended Additional Bibliography
- Chalmers, D. J. (1996). The Conscious Mind : In Search of a Fundamental Theory. New York: Oxford University Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=55770
- Dennett, D. C. (2005). Sweet Dreams : Philosophical Obstacles to a Science of Consciousness. Cambridge, Mass: A Bradford Book. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=138505
- Levitin, D. J. (2002). Foundations of Cognitive Psychology : Core Readings. Cambridge, Mass: A Bradford Book. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=78136