COURSE UNIT TITLE

: COGNITIVE FOUNDATIONS OF KNOWLEDGE

DEGREE PROGRAMMES

Description of Individual Course Units

Course Unit Code Course Unit Title Type Of Course D U L ECTS
PSI 5065 COGNITIVE FOUNDATIONS OF KNOWLEDGE ELECTIVE 3 0 0 8

Offered By

PSYCHOLOGY

Level of Course Unit

Second Cycle Programmes (Master's Degree)

Course Coordinator

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR DERYA DURUSU EMEK SAVAŞ

Offered to

PSYCHOLOGY

Course Objective

This course aims at exploring the origins and development of knowledge in the mind, within the framework of evoultional cognition. In this course, evidence from cognitive psychology, developmental psychology, comparative psychology, neuroscience and linguistics will be used to investigate how individuals conceptualise objects, numbers, space and language. The course will discuss which aspects of knowledge are unique to humans, which are shared with other species, and how this knowledge develops ontogenetically.

Learning Outcomes of the Course Unit

1   Be knowledgeable about the methods and theories regarding cognitive development with specific emphasis on innate and fundamental features of human mind,
2   Be knowledgeable about the origins and development of knowledge in the human mind,
3   Explain how objects, numbers, space and language in general are conceptualised in the mind,
4   To gain an understanding of human or common knowledge with other living beings
5   To be able to explain the role of scientific fields such as cognitive psychology, developmental psychology, comparative psychology, neuroscience and linguistics in information process
6   Develop an evolutionary and developmental point of view on human cognition both ontogenetically and phylogenetically.

Mode of Delivery

Face -to- Face

Prerequisites and Co-requisites

None

Recomended Optional Programme Components

None

Course Contents

Week Subject Description
1 Introduction: Briefing on the outcomes, mechanics and grading of the course Discussion on the curriculum Preliminary discussion on nativism and empiricism
2 Processing Environmental Information: Information processing in infants and children Processing of visual stimuli Visual paired-recognition studies
3 Visual Perception: Development of visual perception in children Congenital Blindness studies and recovered sight Nature and nurture contribution in determining visual elements Studies on depth perception
4 Perception of Objects Object persistence Object identity Determinin boundaries of objects Spatiotemporal information in determining objects Intermodal processing of object properties
5 Perception of Numbers: Numerical understanding Number systems Presentation of large and inexact numbers of items
6 Agency: Perception of animate agents in the environment The interaction of the system used in perceiving agency with the system used in perceiving objects Perception of goals and actions
7 Theory of Mind I: Development of the components of the theory of mind Difference between desires and beliefs Perceiving states of others minds
8 Theory of Mind I: Classical and current methods in assessing the ability to determine others mental states. Language as a driving force for developing a holistic Theory of Mind
9 Language and Cognition: Basic properties of language Biological foundations of language Communication systems of other species
10 Language Development I: Language as a human-only feature Language as a modular stucture Language Acquisition Device Perception of phonemes Perception of morphological and syntactic structures
11 Language Development II: Second Language Acquisition Late Language Acquisition Creation of language in impoverished environment Language acquisition on non-human primates.
12 Language and Thought: Impacts of language on thought Inter-linguistic differences in the presentation of spatial information Presentation of linguistic gender Presentation of Time
13 Paper Presentations
14 Paper Presentations

Recomended or Required Reading

Colombo, J., Richman, W. A., Shaddy, D. J., Greenhoot, A. F., & Maikranz, J. (2001). HR Defined phases of attention, look duration, and infant performance in the paired comparison paradigm. Child Development, Vol. 72, 1605 1616.
Hunter, M. & Ames, H. (1988) A multifactor model of infant preferences for novel and familiar stimuli. In Advances in Infancy Research, Rovee-­ Collier C, Lipsitt L (eds), vol. 5. Ablex: Stamford; 69 95.
Rose, S., Feldman, J., & Jankowski, J. (2003) Infant Visual Recognition Memory: Independent Contributions of Speed and Attention. Developmental Psychology, Vol. 39(3), 563-­ 571.
Wetherford, M. & Cohen, L. (1973) Developmental Changes in Infant Visual Preferences for Novelty and Familiarity. Child Development, Vol. 44(3), 416-­ 424.

Planned Learning Activities and Teaching Methods

1. Lecture
2. Presentation and discussion
3. Question and Answer

Assessment Methods

SORTING NUMBER SHORT CODE LONG CODE FORMULA
1 MTE MIDTERM EXAM
2 FCG FINAL COURSE GRADE
3 FCGR FINAL COURSE GRADE MTE * 0.40 + FCG* 0.60
4 RST RESIT
5 FCGR FINAL COURSE GRADE (RESIT) MTE * 0.40 + RST* 0.60


Further Notes About Assessment Methods

1. Learning outcomes 1 -6 will be evaluated via papers prepared as midterm and final exams.

Assessment Criteria

1. Learning outcomes 1 - 6 will be evaluated via papers prepared as midterm and final exams.

Language of Instruction

Turkish

Course Policies and Rules

1. 70% class attendance is obligatory.
2. Absence from classes will not be considered as an excuse for late submission of the homework assignments/projects.
3. Cheating and plagiarism attempts in assignments and exams will be evaluated with a 0 (zero) grade.

Contact Details for the Lecturer(s)

Dr. Öğr. Üyesi Derya Durusu Emek Savaş
Phone: (0232) 301 86 25
derya.emek@deu.edu.tr

Office Hours

Wed: 13.00-14.00

Work Placement(s)

None

Workload Calculation

Activities Number Time (hours) Total Work Load (hours)
Lectures 14 3 42
Preparing presentations 2 12 24
Preparations before/after weekly lectures 14 4 56
Preparation for midterm exam 1 20 20
Preparation for final exam 1 40 40
Final 1 3 3
Midterm 1 3 3
TOTAL WORKLOAD (hours) 188

Contribution of Learning Outcomes to Programme Outcomes

PO/LOPO.1PO.2PO.3PO.4PO.5PO.6
LO.145
LO.2535
LO.355
LO.445
LO.5445
LO.645

CONTACT INFORMATION
Dokuz Eylül Üniversitesi Cumhuriyet Bulvarı No: 144 35210 Alsancak / İZMİR
Phone: +90(232) 412 12 12 - Fax: +90 (232) 464 81 35

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