BCS/PSY/CVS 208 Laboratory in Perception and Cognition

Transcription

1 BCS/PSY/CVS 208 Laboratory in Perception and Cognition Time: T 3:30 6:30 PM Room: 178 Meliora Hall Lecturer: Dr. Kevin Davis Office: 303E Meliora Hall Office hours: by appt [email protected] understandingcontext.com

2 What is this Course About? Purpose: This course considers how to ask and answer questions about sensory perception and cognition using the scientific method (experiments in which observations are made under controlled conditions). In addition, the course provides practice and guidance in writing technical reports. Format: Lab lecture; experiments Required Materials: Textbook: Exploring Research Methods in Psychology Using PsychMate Software: PsychMate Student CD with the Activation Code Software Guide: PsychMate Student Guide Course website: bb.urmc.rochester.edu oregonstate.edu

3 Course Requirements Class attendance, participation and readings are mandatory. If you miss a day with in-class experiments, then you will be expected to conduct the experiments at an alternate time. All in-class experiments are to be completed, and six reports written on summary data (provided). Hard copies of papers are due week one after their assignment. Late penalty: 10%/day. One midterm exam (consisting of multiple choice and short-answer type questions) is to be completed. Readings assigned to accompany the in-class experiments will form the basis of this exam. One final project is to be completed. It consists of: an experiment designed by the student (with instructor consultation); a written report of the background, design, results and conclusions; a revision of the written report based on instructor comments; and a brief oral presentation of the results.

4 Course Schedule 1 Date Lecture Laboratory Readings Due Points 1/19 Course introduction Account set-up 1/26 How to write a research report; Visual perception E1: Blind spot E2: Perceptual matching Ch 1 SG 1.1, 1.4 2/2 Statistics Sensory memory E3: Iconic memory - headphones E4: Change blindness Ch 3: SG 1.7, 1.8 E2 3 2/9 Organization of memory E5: Lexical decisions E6: Typicality in categorization Ch 2: SG 2.1, 2.3 E3 5 2/16 Learning and recall E7: Memory organization E8: Recall, recognition and encoding Ch 5: SG 2.6, 2.7 E5 & E6 7 2/23 Attention E9: Stroop Effect E10: Selective Attn./Response Competition Ch 6: SG 1.5, 1.6 E7 & E8 10 3/1 Signal detection theory Final project (FP) introduction E11: Signal detection Ch 5: Ch 7 SG 1.2 E9 & E /8 Spring Recess

5 Course Schedule 2 Date Lecture Laboratory Readings Due Points 3/15 FP in-class brainstorming E11 FP idea 3/22 Midterm Exam 15 3/29 Mandatory 1-on-1 meetings 4/5 Data collection day & Mandatory 1-on-1 meetings FP: design FP: data collection FP: data collection FP: analysis & write-up App. B 4/12 Mandatory 1-on-1 meetings FP: write-up FP intro 2 4/19 Oral Presentations Paper Talk 4/26 5/3 Mandatory 1-on-1 meetings Concluding remarks Paper discussion Revised paper

6 Grading Six laboratory reports (worth a total of 45 points). To allow time to develop familiarity with the desired journal-style writing format, the laboratory reports will increase in point value as follows: 3, 5, 7, 10, 10, and 10. One in-class exam (15 points). The exam will consist of multiple-choice and short-answer type questions, and cover material in the assigned readings. One final project (involving a written report and an oral presentation; 40 points). The final project will have point values assigned at different mileposts: idea, 1; introduction, 2; complete document, 24; revised document, 8; oral presentation, 5. Form and content; to earn a high grade, show originality and independence of thought. Points Grade A A B B B C C C D D D E

7 The Scientific Method Perception is the organization, identification, and interpretation of sensory information in order to represent and understand the environment. Cognition is the set of all mental abilities and processes related to knowledge, attention, memory, judgment and evaluation, reasoning, problem solving and decision making. Question: How to we ask and answer questions about sensory perception and cognition? Answer: Use the scientific method

8 Experimental Variables Independent (manipulated) variable: the things we change to see what effect it has on our results Dependent (responding) variable: the different outcomes or results/data of the experiment that change depending on the independent variable Controlled variables: things that may affect the outcome and make it an unfair test.

9 Well-Controlled Experiments Well-controlled experiments = modern science Background: In many nonhuman primates, the color red enhances males' attraction to females. Question: Does the color red enhance men s attraction to women? Elliot & Niesta (2008) JPSP Independent variable? Dependent variable? Controlled variables? Red, relative to other achromatic and chromatic colors, leads men to view women as more attractive and more sexually desirable. Red does not influence women's perceptions of the attractiveness of other women, nor men's perceptions of women's overall likeability, kindness, or intelligence.

10 Not-So-Well-Controlled Experiments In contrast to well-controlled experiments, poorly controlled experiments often yield wrong conclusions. Background: In many nonhuman primates, the color red is a signal of male quality and dominance Question: Does the color red enhance men s dominance in physical contests? Hill & Barton (2005) Nature Independent variable? Dependent variable? Controlled variables? Science is self-correcting Even wrong studies are helpful, because they might motivate someone to design the right study (ask the right question) Rowe et al. (2005) Nature Hagemann et al. (2008) PS

11 Advantages as Naïve Scientists Sir Isaac Newton showed that sunlight is made up of all of the colors of the rainbow. built the world s first reflecting telescope. discovered/invented calculus discovered the law of gravity established three laws of motion : Lazarro Spallanzani Bats can see in dark rooms how? 1795: Charles Jurine Bats cannot see with plugs in their ears 1795: Georges Cuvier Bats see via touch on ears 1930: Donald Griffin, undergraduate Showed that bats produce ultrasounds Use echolocation to locate objects

12 Account Set-Up Directions to creating a PsychMate account and joining a class can be found starting on page G-2 of the Student Guide Briefly: Launch PsychMate Student from the Start Menu or via the desktop shortcut Click on New User? Create your account here. Follow instructions to acquire a password Login to PsychMate Click on User Info to change your password to something you will remember Click on Classes to join a class. Joining a class requires a Student Activation Code (provided with the purchase of the PsychMate Student Guide) and a Class Key (ATA-SCT-UJM)