How do humans perceive the world around them, learn, and make decisions? Under what conditions do we do these things well? When and why do things go a bit “pear‐shaped”? How can we be better? This unit introduces the study of cognitive processes, and considers their function in a variety of real‐world settings. Lecture topics include: perception and object recognition, attention, memory, thinking, and problem solving. This unit places particular emphasis on identifying the areas where human cognition can go wrong, and identifying methods for individuals (including students themselves) to become more discerning consumers of information and better decision‐makers.
In the lectures/workshops, students are introduced to research in cognitive psychology through demonstrations and activities in areas related to core areas of the curriculum. Students will broaden their understanding of cognitive processes and develop their research‐based skills including their ability to: search scientific literature, critically analyse and synthesise information, evaluate research design, interpret data, and report research findings scientifically.