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This is an introductory course in cognitive psychology: the science of how the mind and brain are organised to produce intelligent human thought processes. Topics include visual cognition, attention, memory, problem solving and expertise, reasoning and decision making, and language comprehension.
This course introduces the scientific study of cognition, focusing on how mental processes are investigated through behavioural experiments, empirical data, and theoretical models of information processing. Students will examine core areas of cognition including perception, attention, memory, language, reasoning, and decision making, alongside the methods used to study them such as psychophysics, signal detection theory, and experimental design. Through lectures and practical laboratory activities, students will engage with cognitive tasks and collect data to connect theory with evidence, while developing skills in critical thinking, research literacy, and scientific communication. The course provides a foundation for understanding cognition in both laboratory and real-world contexts and supports further study in the psychological sciences.
The objectives of the course are to:• Demonstrate an understanding of theoretical and empirical foundations of cognitive science• Explain how cognitive approaches are used to study behaviour and mental processes• Engage with experimental tasks and data to investigate mental processes• Critically evaluate research in cognition• Demonstrate scientific thinking and effective communication skills
PSYC105 and PSYC106, orwith the approval of the Head of School, a pass in a professional year of Engineering, orin approved courses in Computer Science, Linguistics, orPhilosophy
Students must attend one activity from each section.
Sreekari Vogeti
Anderson, J.R; Cognitive Psychology and Its Implications ; 9th Ed; New York: Worth, 2020.
O'Shea, R., & McKenzie, W; Writing for Psychology ; 6th Ed; Cengage, 2013.
Domestic fee $1,058.00
International fee $5,388.00
* All fees are inclusive of NZ GST or any equivalent overseas tax, and do not include any programme level discount or additional course-related expenses.
For further information see School of Psychology, Speech and Hearing .