PSY 458
Experimental Psychology: Seeing and Acting
Spring, 2015
COURSE OUTLINE
Class hours: Tues, Thurs 3.30-6.30
Room 2.116, SEAY
Instructor: Professor Mary Hayhoe
SEAY Room 4-234 X5-9338 hayhoe@utexas.edu
Office hours: Anytime by appointment
TA: Adam Cobb
adamrcobb@utexas.edu
Office hours: Anytime by appointment
Web Site: http://homepage.psy.utexas.edu/homepage/class/psy458/hayhoe/
The goal of this course is to teach you how to do experiments and make discoveries about
your own perceptions and actions in ordinary life. There are many basic and important
things to learn about this topic, that do not involve extensive background knowledge. We can
do this because of new technology that allows us to examine situations close to everyday life.
The goal is to make new discoveries by doing several experiments using eye tracking as well
as equipment in the Virtual Reality lab. In the course of doing this, you will learn about how
to ask scientific questions, do experiments, analyze the data, and make conclusions. You will
learn how to write up experiments in a scientific manner and give oral presentations of your
findings in class. This will involve learning technical skills that should be generally useful.
The thing of greatest value, however, is learning how to form your own questions and to
answer them.
Text:
Because the course is very selective in the topics covered, there is no assigned text. Readings
are available on the class web site.
Several chapters from the following book will be assigned. (The amount of material does not
warrant buying the book.)
D.A. Rosenbaum (2010) Human Motor Control . Academic Press (Chapters 1, 2, 5, & 6)
Another useful reference is:
Gazzaniga, M., Ivry, R & Mangun, G (2013) Cognitive Neuroscience Norton, 4th ed.
Date
Topic
Jan 20 Overview of the course: understanding human actions
Jan 22 Lecture: Eye movements: applications – review by Adam.
Jan 27 Lecture: Introduction to Eye Movements.
Using our Eyes in Everyday Tasks
Lab:
Calibration exercise and Measurement and analysis of basic types of eye
movements.
Jan 29
Lab:
Tracking the eyes while throwing and catching balls. Data collection and
analysis.
Feb 3
Lab:
Data collection and analysis
Feb 5
Lab: Data collection and analysis
Lecture: Neural mechanisms underlying eye movements.
Feb 10
Class presentations Lab 1.
How to write a lab report.
Feb 12 Reading review assignment: Class presentations.
Feb 17 Lecture: learning where to look.
Paper 1 due
Lab: Data collection – eye movements while walking with obstacles
Feb 19 Lecture: eye movements and reward
Lab: Data collection and analysis
Feb 24
Lab: Data collection and analysis
Feb 26 Class presentations Lab 2.
Planning the lab report
Mar 3
Review: Brainstorming new experiments
Mar 5
Lecture: Interdependence of Vision and Action:
Lab: Visuo-motor latency
Mar10
Paper 2 due
Lecture: Vision and movement.
Lab: Analysis of data
Mar 12 Lecture: Vision and movement. ctd
Lab: Analysis and interpretation of data
Mar 17, 19 Spring Break
Mar 24 Class Presentation: Lab 3
Mar 26 Lecture: Attention, Memory and Vision
Mar 31 Lab: Gaze in a Virtual Apartment
Paper 3 due
Apr 2
Lab: Gaze in a Virtual Apartment
Apr 7
Lab: Gaze in a Virtual Apartment - data analysis
Apr 9
Independent Projects: discussion
Apr 14
Class Presentations: Lab 4
Apr 16 Independent Projects: Present ideas to class
Paper 4 due
Apr 21 Lab: Independent Projects data collection and analysis
Apr 23 Lab: Independent Projects data collection and analysis
Apr 28 Lab: Independent Projects data collection and analysis
Apr 30 Lecture: Uses of virtual environments
May 5
Review
May 7
Presentations of Independent Projects
Paper 5 Due May 11
Grading: Grades will be based on the papers. In addition, grades will take into account class
attendance, participation in class discussions, and class presentations (5%).
Papers should be about 7-10 pages (typewritten, double spaced) reporting the results of the
lab experiments. Papers can be re-written.
Writing Flag: This is a Writing Flag class.
General Information:
1. The University of Texas at Austin provides upon request appropriate academic
accommodations for qualified students with disabilities. For more information, contact
Services for Students with Disabilities, 471-6259, http://www.utexas.edu/diversity/ddce/ssd/
2. The Undergraduate Writing Center is a great resource available to all UT undergraduates.
The UWC offers free one-on-one consulting on all writing assignments, including papers, lab
reports, and personal statements. Students can call (512-471-6222) to make an appointment
or walk in to the office in the FAC.