SAN DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY
PSY 587. Advanced Principles of Learning and Cognition
Spring 2014
COURSE SYLLABUS
TIME: Mondays, 2:00pm-4:40pm
LOCATION: LS 281
INSTRUCTOR: Dr. Sara J. Unsworth
CONTACT: (619) 594-1327 E-mail: sunsworth@mail.sdsu.edu
OFFICE HOURS: Tuesday, 9:30-10:30 am, in South Life Sciences 279
COURSE PREREQUISITES: PSY 211, 280, and 380. Limited to graduate students or
psychology majors with senior standing.
Description:
Empirical data, basic principles and theoretical positions of major theorists in learning and
cognitive psychology.
Cognition is highly complex, consisting of processes that are conscious and unconscious,
automatic and deliberate, rational and intuitive, as well as predisposed and flexible. Our concepts
and perceptions develop through input from culture, language, context, social interaction, and
even the form of our bodies. Other systems, such as emotion and visual processing, interact with
higher-level cognition, which helps to shape our thinking and reasoning. In the face of such
complexity, we are compelled to ask: Who, or what, is in control?
Over the course of the semester, you will learn to:
1. Summarize and critically evaluate theory and research related to the psychological study
of learning and cognition.
2. Make predictions about the factors that might explain variation in thinking and reasoning.
3. Develop skills for expressing ideas clearly and precisely in oral presentations and formal
writing assignments.
4. Develop original ideas about new directions for psychological research.
5. Apply findings from research on learning and cognition to your own research interests.
Required Readings:
The list of required readings is provided below. Students are required to obtain these readings
using search engines available through SDSU’s library. It is important for students to develop
skills for locating research articles through search engines such as PsycINFO. Students are
required to locate and read each reading before class.
WEEK
Week 1
Week 2
DATE
REQUIRED READINGS AND CLASS SCHEDULE
01-27
Introductions
02-03 Cognitive Illusions:
Kahneman, D. (2003). A perspective on judgment and choice: Mapping bounded
rationality. American Psychologist, 58, 697-720.
*Pretz, J. E. (2008). Intuition versus analysis: Strategy and experience in complex
everyday problem solving. Memory and Cognition, 36, 554-566.
Week 3 02-10 Conscious control I:
Hahn, A., Judd, C. M., Hirsh, H. K., & Blair, I. V. (2013, December 2).
Awareness of implicit attitudes. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General.
Advance online publication. doi: 10.1037/a0035028
*Bargh, J. A., & Morsella, E. (2008). The unconscious mind. Perspectives on
Psychological Science, 3, 73-79.
Week 4 02-17 Conscious control II:
Shanks, D. R. (2010). Learning: From association to cognition. Annual Review of
Psychology, 61, 273-301.
Van den Bussche, E., Van den Noortgate, W., & Reynvoet, B. (2009).
Mechanisms of masked priming: A meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 135,
452-477.
Week 5 02-24 Embodied cognition:
*Glenberg, A. M., Witt, J. K., & Metcalfe, J. (2013). From the revolution to
embodiment: 25 years of cognitive psychology. Perspectives on Psychological
Science, 8, 573-585.
Affect and cognition:
*Forgas, J. P. (2008). Affect and cognition. Perspectives on Psychological
Science, 3, 94-101.
Week 6 03-03
Research Proposals I
Week 8 03-10 Core knowledge:
Geary, D. C., & Huffman, K. L. (2002). Brain and cognitive evolution: Forms of
modularity and functions of mind. Psychological Bulletin, 128, 667-698.
*Spelke, E. S., & Kinzler, K. D. (2007). Core knowledge. Developmental Science,
10, 89-96.
Week 9 03-17 Concepts and categories:
Medin, D. L., & Rips, L. J. (2005). Concepts and categories: Memory, meaning,
and metaphysics. In K. Holyoak & R. Morrison (Eds.), Cambridge Handbook of
Thinking and Reasoning (37-72). Cambridge : Cambridge University Press.
Unsworth, S. J., Sears, C. R., & Pexman, P. (2005). Cultural influences on
categorization processes. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 36, 662-688.
Week 10 03-24 Cultural worldviews:
Henrich, J., Heine, S. J., & Norenzayan, A. (2010). The weirdest people in the
world? Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 33, 61-83.
Language and thought:
Boroditsky, L. (2001). Does language shape thought?: Mandarin and English
speakers’ conceptions of time. Cognitive Psychology, 43, 1-22.
Week 11 03-31
SPRING BREAK
Week 12 04-07
Week 13 04-14
Week 14 04-21
Week 15 04-28
Week 16 05-05
FINAL
PAPER 05-12
DUE
Memory:
Hirst, W., & Echterhoff, G. (2012). Remembering in conversations: The social
sharing and reshaping of memories. Annual Review of Psychology, 63, 55-79.
*Zhu, B., Chen, C., Loftus, E., He, Q., Chen, C., Lei, X., Lin, C., & Dong, Q.
(2012). Brief exposure to misinformation can lead to long-term false memories.
Applied Cognitive Psychology, 26, 301-307.
Research Proposals II
Intelligence:
Deary, I. J. (2012). Intelligence. Annual Review of Psychology, 63, 453-482.
Blackwell, L. S., Trzesniewski, K. H., & Dweck, C.S. (2007). Implicit theories of
intelligence predict achievement across an adolescent transition: A longitudinal
study and an intervention. Child Development, 78, 246-263.
Visual Perception:
Balcetis, E., & Dunning, D. (2010). Wishful seeing: More desired objects are
seen as closer. Psychological Science, 21, 147-152.
Dunning, D., & Balcetis, E. (2013). Wishful seeing: How preferences shape visual
perception. Psychological Science, 22, 33-37.
Yang, E., Tadin, D., Glasser, D. M., Hong, S. W., Blake, R., & Park, S. (2013).
Visual context processing in schizophrenia. Clinical Psychological Science, 1,
5-15.
Mindfulness and cognition:
Chiesa, A., Calati, R., & Serretti, A. (2011). Does mindfulness training improve
cognitive abilities? A systematic review of neuropsychological findings.
Clinical Psychology Review, 31, 449-464.
Research Proposals III
Submit hard copy in class at 2pm.
ASSIGNMENTS:
There will be weekly reactions (worth 4% each week, for a total of 40%), 3 two-page proposal
outlines (worth 5% each, for a total of 15% of your grade), one oral presentation (worth 20% of
your grade), and a 10-15 page research proposal (worth a total of 25% of your grade).
For each weekly reaction, you are required to do the following:
1) Develop a question of interest for each assigned reading and post it on the Discussion
board on Blackboard
- this is due by 5pm on Friday before class
2) Provide one response for one question posted on Blackboard for each assigned reading
- this is due before class on Monday
For each two-page proposal outline, you must propose a study related to one of the readings
assigned in that section of the course and create a two-page outline that includes 1) your research
question of interest, 2) a summary of the relevant literature covered in class, and 3) proposed
methodology. Plan to discuss your research proposal in class. If you expect to miss a “Research
Proposals” class, you must inform the professor well in advance. Only documented scheduling
conflicts will be excused, and these conflicts must either be considered absolutely unavoidable
and/or must be due to scheduling that needed to occur before the course schedule became
available. If you unexpectedly miss one of these classes, you must notify the professor as soon as
possible. Only documented emergencies will be excused. More information will be provided
about proposal outlines later in the course.
Oral presentations allow you to gain practice organizing your thoughts and articulating ideas.
These are important skills that are highly valuable in many different occupations. Oral
presentations can be between15 and 30 minutes and should include the use of powerpoint slides.
They should include a brief summary of the reading as well as discussion questions for the class,
and should address some of the questions posed on Blackboard. More details regarding oral
presentations will be provided in class and posted on Blackboard.
The 10-15 page research proposal is due on the day that the final exam is scheduled. There is no
final exam for this course. More details will be provided in class and on Blackboard.
Extra Credit:
There will be opportunities for earning 2% in extra credit, and these opportunities will be
described in more detail in class.
SDSU’s Writing Center is a great resource for developing your writing skills. Follow this
link to learn more: http://web.sdstate.edu/writingcenter/index.htm
Other Notes:
1) Grading Guidelines
Grading Guidelines
Minimum%
Grade
Minimum%
Grade
94%
A
77%
C+
90%
A-
74%
C
87%
B+
70%
C-
84%
B
60%
D
80%
B-
0%
F
A grade of "WU" for "withdrawal unauthorized" (formerly "U") indicates that you enrolled in a
course, did not officially withdraw from the course, but failed to complete course requirements.
For purposes of GPA computation, this grade is equivalent to an "F". If you attend a portion of a
course and then, after receiving a failing grade, stop attending without officially withdrawing,
you will receive a final grade of "F" rather than "WU".
A grade of "I" for "incomplete authorized" is only given when a minor portion of required
courseware has not been completed and evaluated in the prescribed time period due to
unforeseen, but fully justified, reasons. It is your responsibility to bring pertinent information to
the instructor and to reach an agreement on the means by which the remaining course
requirements will be satisfied. An incomplete shall not be assigned when the only way you could
make up the work would be to attend a major portion of the class when it is offered next.
2) Cheating – Academic Misconduct
Academic misconduct includes the following examples as well as any other similar conduct
which is aimed at falsely representing a student's academic performance: cheating, plagiarizing,
unauthorized collaborating on course work, stealing course examinations or materials, falsifying
records or data, or intentionally assisting another individual in any of the above.
Academic misconduct will not be tolerated. Students who cheat will receive an "F" for the course
grade and the Psychology Department's Undergraduate Coordinator and SDSU’s Judicial
Coordinator will be notified. The Judicial Coordinator will conduct an investigation, and
depending on the outcome, the student may be expelled, suspended, or placed on probation.
For more information on SDSU's policies and procedures regarding academic misconduct visit
the following site: Academic Misconduct.
3) Special accommodations
Students who need accommodation of their disabilities should contact me privately to discuss
specific accommodations for which they have received authorization. If you have a disability,
but have not contacted Student Disability Services at 619-594-6473 (Calpulli Center, Suite
3101), please do so before making an appointment to see me.
4) Emergencies
To be prepared for emergencies, each student is responsible for becoming familiar with the
evacuation plan specific to each classroom. The evacuation plan is posted within each classroom
and should be examined on the first day of class.