Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences · Psychology · Undergraduate
Course Objective
The aim of this course is to enable students to acquire an understanding of the fundamental concepts, research questions, and scientific methods of cognitive psychology and to explain the functioning of basic cognitive processes, including perception, attention, and memory, in light of behavioral and neuroscientific evidence. The course also aims to help students understand the relationship between environmental stimuli, perceptual experience, and memory representations; evaluate the interactions among cognitive processes and brain functions; interpret findings obtained from experimental research; and apply knowledge of cognitive psychology to situations encountered in everyday life.
Course Content
This course covers the fundamental concepts, questions, and historical development of cognitive psychology; the cognitive revolution; the relationship between cognitive processes and the brain; and the basic approaches of cognitive neuroscience. Topics include the distinction between sensation and perception, bottom-up and top-down processing, perceptual organization, pattern and object recognition, selective and divided attention, controlled and automatic processing, visual attention, and cognitive load. The course also examines the basic structure of memory; sensory, short-term, working, and long-term memory systems; and the duration, capacity, coding formats, functions, and interactions of these systems within the framework of behavioral, experimental, neuropsychological, and neuroscientific evidence.
Required Resources
E.Bruce Goldstein Cognitive Psychology
Recommended Resources
R.L. Solso, M.K. Maclin & O.H. Maclin (2009). Cognitive Psychology
Course Learning Outcomes
- The student can explain the basic concepts, research areas, historical development, and major developments in cognitive psychology.
- The student can explain the relationship between cognitive processes and brain structure and function based on behavioral and neuroscientific findings.
- The student can distinguish between sensation and perception and compare bottom-up and top-down processing.
- The student can explain perceptual organization, pattern recognition, and object recognition based on major theories and research findings.
- The student can compare controlled, automatic, selective, divided, and visual attention processes.
- The student can compare controlled, automatic, selective, divided, and visual attention processes.
- The student can evaluate basic research methods and findings in cognitive psychology and apply this knowledge to everyday life.
Core Area Distribution
Teaching Methods
Assessment & Evaluation
ECTS / Workload
| Activity | Quantity | Duration (h) | Total Workload |
|---|---|---|---|
| Course Duration (Including Exam Week) | 16 | 3 | 48 |
| Out of Class Study Period | 14 | 3 | 42 |
| Midterm | 1 | 10 | 10 |
| Quiz | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Assignment | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Practice | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Final | 1 | 20 | 20 |
Course Schedule
| Week | Subject | Preparation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Course introduction and fundamental questions in cognitive psychology | Goldstein (2013): Section 1, Smith ve Kosslyn (2014): Section 1 |
| 2 | The birth of cognitive psychology and the cognitive revolution | Goldstein (2013): Section 1, Smith ve Kosslyn (2014): Section 1 |
| 3 | Brain and cognition I | Goldstein (2013): Section 2, Smith ve Kosslyn (2014): Section 1 |
| 4 | Brain and cognition II | Goldstein (2013): Section 2, Smith ve Kosslyn (2014): Section 1 |
| 5 | Sensation and perception | Goldstein (2013): Section 3, Smith ve Kosslyn (2014): Section 2 |
| 6 | Visual perception: Pattern and object recognition | Goldstein (2013): Section 3, Smith ve Kosslyn (2014): Section 2 |
| 7 | October 29: Republic Day | October 29: Republic Day |
| 8 | Mid-term exam | Mid-term exam |
| 9 | Attention I: Basic attention processes | Goldstein (2013): Section 4, Smith ve Kosslyn (2014): Section 3 |
| 10 | Attention II: Controlled attention and visual attention | Goldstein (2013): Section 4, Smith ve Kosslyn (2014): Section 3 |
| 11 | Introduction to memory: The basic structure of memory | Goldstein (2013): Section 5, Smith ve Kosslyn (2014): Section 4 |
| 12 | Introduction to memory II: Sensory memory and short-term memory | Goldstein (2013): Section 5 |
| 13 | Working memory | Goldstein (2013): Section 5, Smith ve Kosslyn (2014): Section 6 |
| 14 | Structure of Long term memory | Goldstein (2013): Section 6 |
| 15 | Final Exam | Final Exam |
| 16 | Final Exam | Final Exam |