PSYC135 CM - Controversies in Cognitive Neuroscience

Cognitive neuroscience serves as an interface between cognitive psychology (the study of information processing) and neuroscience (the study of the physical brain). In this course, we will discuss “hot” controversies in the field regarding how our brain gives rise to important cognitive activity such as visual perception, attention, executive function, memory, motor control, language, and consciousness. Questions include: Is the recognition of faces special? Do we need our cortex to see? How does the brain make moral judgments? Do we have special brain mechanisms to “hear” music? We will consider evidence from patients with localized brain damage, mind-brain relationships in normal individuals, and functional neuroimaging (e.g. PET, fMRI, EEG/ERP).

Prerequisite: One lower-division psychology or neuroscience course

Offered: Occasionally

Credit: 1

Course Number: PSYC135 CM