Cognitive Psychology

Introduction to cognitive theories and their application to a wide range of phenomena associated with knowledge and thought. The course will examine how knowledge is acquired, transformed, represented, stored, and retrieved; and how that knowledge directs human actions and responses. A variety of theoretical perspectives of past and present cognitive research will be explored in the context of cognitive development, attention, pattern recognition, memory, language acquisition, thinking and reasoning, problem-solving, creativity and intelligence and creativity. These perspectives will also be considered in terms of cultural and gender differences. Applied artificial intelligence and the human/technology will be considered. The purpose of the course is to provide students with an understanding of how cognitive processes work in everyday life and how psychologists study their operation. Through readings, lectures, classroom demonstrations, and individual research, students will solidify their perspectives on the basic theories and understand their application to real world issues.