| Week | Date | Learning Module |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wednesday, January 24, 2024 | L0: Getting started |
| 1 | Friday, January 26, 2024 | L1: What is Cognition? |
| 2 | Wednesday, January 31, 2024 | L2: Mental Imagery |
| 2 | Friday, February 2, 2024 | L3: Eugenics, Psychology, and Intelligence Testing |
| 3 | Wednesday, February 7, 2024 | L4: Associations |
| 3 | Friday, February 9, 2024 | L4 continued… |
| 4 | Wednesday, February 14, 2024 | L5: Behaviorism |
| 4 | Friday, February 16, 2024 | L5 continued… |
| 5 | Wednesday, February 21, 2024 | L6: Information Processing |
| 5 | Friday, February 23, 2024 | L6 continued… |
| 6 | M: February 26, 2024 | Monthly Quiz 1 |
| 6 | Wednesday, February 28, 2024 | L0-L6 Review |
| 6 | Friday, March 1, 2024 | Midterm |
| 7 | Wednesday, March 6, 2024 | L7: Memory I |
| 7 | Friday, March 8, 2024 | L7 continued… |
| 8 | Wednesday, March 13, 2024 | SPRING BREAK! [no class] |
| 8 | Friday, March 15, 2024 | SPRING BREAK! [no class] |
| 9 | Wednesday, March 20, 2024 | SPRING BREAK! [no class] |
| 9 | Friday, March 22, 2024 | SPRING BREAK! [no class] |
| 10 | Wednesday, March 27, 2024 | L8: Cognitive Models |
| 10 | Friday, March 29, 2024 | Guest Session: President Safa Zaki |
| 11 | Wednesday, April 3, 2024 | L9: Memory II |
| 11 | Friday, April 5, 2024 | L9 continued… |
| 12 | Monday: April 8, 2024 | Research Summary [SPARK] due |
| 12 | Wednesday, April 10, 2024 | L10: Language |
| 12 | Friday, April 12, 2024 | L10 continued… |
| 13 | Tuesday: April 16, 2024 | Monthly Quiz 2 |
| 13 | Wednesday, April 17, 2024 | L11: Judgment and Decision Making |
| 13 | Friday, April 19, 2024 | L11 continued… |
| 14 | M: April 22, 2024 | Research Summary [QALMRI] due |
| 14 | Wednesday, April 24, 2024 | L12: Social Cognition |
| 14 | Friday, April 26, 2024 | L12 continued… |
| 15 | Wednesday, May 1, 2024 | L0-L12 review! |
| 15 | Friday, May 3, 2024 | Final |
| 16 | Wednesday, May 8, 2024 | Wrapping up! |
| 16 | M: May 13, 2024 | Research Reflection due |
Syllabus: Cognition
The Science of How We Learn, Think, and Act
Welcome! This page hosts the syllabus for PSYC 2040.
Basic Course Information
Course number: PSYC 2040
Semester: Spring 2024
When: Wednesdays and Fridays, 11.40 AM - 1:05 PM
Where: Mills 210
Website: You are here!
Pre-requisites: PSYC 1101 or Placement in above PSYC 1101
Who is your instructor?
Abhilasha Kumar: Hear my name!
Pronouns: she/her
About me: I am a cognitive scientist who is fascinated by how humans think, learn, and communicate. My work involves conducting psychological experiments to understand different aspects of human behavior such as how we learn the meaning of words, how we search for information, and how we cooperate with one another. When I am not working, I enjoy playing board games, learning new recipes, and playing tennis (badly)!
Email: a.kumar@bowdoin.edu
Office: Kanbar Hall, Room 217
Who is your learning assistant?
Nick Sibiryakov
Pronouns: he/him
About me: Hi everyone! I’m a junior from Seattle, Washington majoring in Psychology and DCS. At Bowdoin, I’m on the track team and I lead trips for the outing club. I’m always keen on chatting about AI, surfing, and hiking, so don’t hesitate to reach out about those topics along with any questions you may have about the class!
Email: nsibiryakov@bowdoin.edu
Office: Kanbar Hall, Room 300
Student/Office Hours
Abhilasha’s office hours (Kanbar 217):
- in-person: Wednesdays, 2 pm - 4 pm
- Zoom: Thursdays, 2 pm - 4 pm (link on Canvas)
Nick’s office hours (Kanbar 300)
During the semester, Nick will be available by appointment during these times:
- Monday, 9 am to 12 pm
- Thursday, 2:45 pm to 4:15 pm
Nick will also host review sessions before exams on the following dates:
- Review Sessions for Exam 1:
- Monday (Feb 26), 7-9 pm
- Thursday (Feb 29). 8-10 pm
- Review Session for Exam 2:
- Monday (Apr 29), 7-9 pm
- Thursday (May 2), 8-10 pm
You are strongly encouraged to drop-in during student/office hours - this is time specifically dedicated to you and any thoughts, questions, or concerns you may wish to share with me. If the designated hours don’t work for you, please email me to find a different time.
What is this course about?
This course explores the scientific study of human cognition — how people acquire, represent, and use knowledge to guide their everyday functioning. Students learn about experimental and computational/mathematical methods of understanding cognition and building real-world tools and applications, and also dive into classic and contemporary research on several aspects of the human mind, such as memory, language, and social cognition through short lectures, podcasts, active discussions, and in-class activities.
Why take this course? a.k.a. learning goals
At the end of this course, I hope that you will:
1. Understand the fundamental questions & prominent methodologies in the study of cognition [Department Goals #1 and #4]
2. Connect theoretical ideas about cognition to real-world applications and their implications [Department Goal #2]
3. Reflect on the sociocultural issues surrounding the study of cognition [Department Goal #3]
Course materials
All of the course materials will be available in a timely fashion on this course website and/or posted on Canvas. This course is based on the FANTASTIC free and open-source materials developed and shared by Matthew J. C. Crump:
Matthew J. C. Crump. (2021). Instances of Cognition: Questions, Methods, Findings, Explanations, Applications, and Implications. https://crumplab.com/cognition/textbook
We will follow the general structure of Dr. Crump’s textbook, with some modifications.
Students do not need to purchase or download the textbook in advance - all chapters will be made available (or are already available) on this course website via the learning modules
Course structure
There are 16 total weeks in this course. Weekly learning modules will cover different topics in cognitive psychology. Assessment weeks are interspersed across the semester. Students are expected to complete the learning modules and assessments which provide opportunities to earn up to 100 points (+5 extra credit) toward a final grade.
This is an in-person class, and students are expected to attend all class sessions.
Working with difficult content
This course will cover the history and practice of psychology and cognition. In doing so, we will cover some problematic and disturbing parts of history, including the Eugenics movement, the Holocaust (Chapter 3), and their connection to intelligence testing and racism (Chapter 4). These themes may also be revisited at later points in the course. You may find this content sexist, racist, homophobic, and/or otherwise unpleasant. Please know that our goal is not to endorse these attitudes but in fact acknowledge the part psychology has played in perpetuating these exclusionary ideologies throughout history. I understand, however, that some of this content may be difficult and upsetting. To that end, there are multiple ways to engage with the content via different types of assignments. I encourage you to push yourself, but also respect your limits and boundaries. If you are aware of any particular course material that may be traumatizing to you, please come talk to me and we can discuss alternative options for you to engage with the material. I will try my best to provide verbal reminders about such content ahead of time so that you are prepared and feel comfortable reaching out.
Learning module structure
Weekly learning modules include three components to encourage engagement with the domain of cognitive psychology in different ways.
READ: Modules have assigned readings from textbook chapters or primary research articles. Readings are freely available and posted on Canvas or the course website. Student are strongly encouraged to read assigned material before classes where the material is discussed.
CLASS and VIEW/WATCH/LISTEN: Modules usually involve two class meetings. Classes will involve a mixture of lectures and other activities.
ENGAGE: Modules include assignments for students to engage with course material. Assignments vary and there is flexibility for students to choose which assignments they complete. For example, each week, students have the choice to complete a quiz and/or a short writing assignment. There are also several choices for each writing assignment. Details of these assignments are available within each learning module.
Course Schedule
Grading
The grading scale for this class is as follows:
| Letter grade | Points |
|---|---|
| A | 95 - 100+ |
| A- | 90 - 94.99 |
| B+ | 87 - 89.99 |
| B | 83 - 86.99 |
| B- | 80 - 82.99 |
| C+ | 77 - 79.99 |
| C | 73 - 77.99 |
| C- | 70 - 72.99 |
| D | 60 - 69.99 |
| F | fewer than 60% |
Grades will be determined based on the following rubric, which is based on emphasizing our three learning goals (Understand, Connect, and Reflect)
There are multiple ways for students to engage with class and course materials and achieve their desired grade. Students are encouraged to choose the assignments that work best for them. Course assessments that occur throughout the semester are designed to help students set and achieve their own goals for engaging in course content.
Points
| Component | Total | Learning goal | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weekly assignments | up to 30 | Understand, Connect, Reflect | |
| Monthly quizzes | 15 | Connect, Reflect | |
| Midterm assessment | 20 | Understand, Connect | |
| Final assessment | 30 | Understand, Connect | |
| Research summaries | 5 | Connect, Reflect | |
| Extra credit | 5 | Reflect | |
| Total | 105 |
Weekly assignments
Each weekly module will contain assignment opportunities of two types: quizzes and short writing assignments, both of which are worth 3 points each, and will accumulate a maximum of 30 points. Students can choose to do any and as many of the assignments available in a given module, but only the highest scoring assignment per week will count towards the grade for that week. For example, if you decide to do the quiz and writing assignment for a given module, whichever assignment you score higher on will be counted towards your final grade for that week. Please note that all assignments must be submitted before the due date each week (details on Canvas) to count towards the final grade - late submissions will NOT be accepted (unless you are using a flex day, see late work policy).
Weekly assignments can count for a maximum of 30 points toward the final grade, i.e., you do NOT need to do every weekly assignment to get to the maximum total. Quizzes will be posted on Canvas and will contain 5-10 multiple-choice and/or true/false questions. Details about the writing assignments are available within each learning module on the course website and must be submitted via Canvas. Writing assignments will be graded as follows:
| Descriptor | Points |
|---|---|
| Outstanding, thoughtful assignment with no logical and/or writing flaws | 5 |
| Very good assignment with some minor flaws | 4 |
| Assignment demonstrates competency but some significant weaknesses | 3 |
| Assignment demonstrates competency but some major weaknesses | 2 |
| Does not meet expectations | 0-1 |
Monthly quizzes
There will be two Canvas quizzes during the semester that cover the content covered before and after the midterm. These quizzes are intended to help you engage in spaced practice and review content from previous learning modules in an integrative manner.
Overall, these quizzes contribute 15 points towards your final grade.
Assessments
There are two assessments throughout the semester: the midterm (March 1) and the final (May 3). The purpose of these assessments is to provide you with feedback on your general engagement and retention of information during the course.
Please note that both assessments will be cumulative, i.e., these assessments will be based on the course content covered up until the previous class and will involve multiple-choice, true/false and/or short-answer questions.
Assessments will be conducted in-person.
Research summaries
The course focuses on understanding empirical research in cognitive science. To help you improve your critical analysis skills, and foster increased intellectual engagement with topics in cognitive science, you will have the opportunity to summarize research articles in cognitive science. Please view the schedule and Canvas for deadlines to submit these summaries. You will learn to read and summarize a review paper via the SPARK tool, and also learn to read and summarize empirical articles via the QALMRI tool. Then, you will submit a reflection that combines insights from the review and empirical articles. Overall, all of these mini-assignments are worth 5% of your total grade.
You have wide latitude in selecting the articles you choose to summarize, as long as they are published in an appropriate journal (peer-reviewed, research reports, and theoretical reports) and not in a popular magazine or on the internet. You should locate your article through a Google Scholar, PsycInfo, or PsycArticles search. The course website has a list of good cognitive science journals you can refer to for this assignment.
Choosing a review article: Review articles summarize the existing literature on a particular topic. You must find and read a broad review article from Annual Reviews of Psychology OR Psychonomic Bulletin and Review, and then submit a SPARK summary for the same. Your SPARK summary is worth 1.5 points.
Choosing an empirical article: Empirical articles typically describe an experiment or a collection of experiments that attempt to answer a research question. Your chosen article should be from the list of journals on the course website. You want to try different keywords and look for highly cited articles, review articles, and recent articles about the topic and read the abstracts. Finally, having perused about ~5-10 articles, you might want to select ones that you find most interesting and informative. Then, you should submit a QALMRI summary for EACH of your chosen articles. You will submit QALMRIs for TWO empirical articles based on the same sub-domain that your review article is based on. These summaries will be worth 1.5 points total.
Reflection: Using your SPARK and QALMRI summaries, you will also submit a final 1-2 page reflection that describes your overall sense of what you have learned from your literature review of the topic. This 1-2 page summary should be written in APA-style (double-spaced, 12-point Times New Roman) font and is worth 2 points.
You are welcome to reach out to me or the LA to chat about potential options you are considering for your summaries.
Extra credit
There will be some opportunities to earn extra credit during the semester. These opportunities are described below:
Complete class surveys (2 points) : There will be 4 surveys during the semester to gather your reflections and suggestions to improve the course. With the exception of the pre-class survey, all other surveys will be anonymous, and you will be able to earn 0.5 point for each survey you complete.
Class participation (2 points): Throughout the semester, I will be observing how you participate in class by asking thoughtful questions and building on others’ ideas. The two students who receive the overall highest score at the end of the semester will earn 2 extra credit points.
Win Memer of the Semester (1 point) : Each week, you will have the opportunity to submit a meme via Canvas, that reflects your experience with the course content of that week. Memes should be original, i.e., they should be course-specific and something you have created yourself and not simply found on the internet, although you are allowed to use common images/tropes from popular memes as a starting point. Memes also need to have a specific format, with the title of the learning module at the top of the meme (see Canvas). All memes will be gathered and sent to the class anonymously at the end of the semester for a survey, and the student(s) with the average highest score and the best scoring meme will receive 1 additional point. Note: A student can only receive a maximum of 1 point, even if the same student has the highest average score in the context and the best scoring meme.
Course Policies
Academic honesty and plagiarism
We, as a class, will abide by the Bowdoin College Academic Honor Code. While you are encouraged to discuss ideas and thoughts with your classmates, plagiarism in any form will be subject to grade reductions and disciplinary action. Specifically, you are permitted to make use of online resources and/or search platforms. However, directly copying or adapting written material and/or your classmates’ answers or ideas will be considered plagiarism. This policy applies to both individual and group assignments.
Please refer to this page for a list of resources related to plagiarism and other academic integrity issues. Here is another helpful infographic about plagiarism that you are encouraged to go over.
Use of generative artificial intelligence tools
Acknowledgement: This policy about generative AI was generated using the Generative AI Syllabus Statement Tool provided by Seaver College
Generative artificial intelligence tools — software that creates new text, images, computer code, audio, video, and other content—have become widely available. Well-known examples include ChatGPT/Bard for text and DALL-E for images. This policy governs all such tools, including those released during our semester together.
You may use generative AI tools for work in this course to help with idea generation, literature review, drafting, and other such academic work. If you do use generative AI tools on assignments in this class, you must properly document and credit the tools themselves.
Cite the tool you used, following the pattern for computer software provided by the American Psychological Association (APA) guide. If you choose to use generative AI tools, please remember that they are typically trained on limited datasets that may be out of date. Additionally, generative AI datasets are trained on pre-existing material, including copyrighted material; therefore, relying on a generative AI tool may result in plagiarism or copyright violations. Finally, keep in mind that the goal of generative AI tools is to produce content that seems to have been produced by a human, not to produce accurate or reliable content; therefore, relying on a generative AI tool may result in your submission of inaccurate content. It is your responsibility as a scholar — NOT the tool’s — to assure the quality, integrity, and accuracy of work you submit in any college course. Although you have wide latitude to determine how you use generative AI tools in this course, you must be wary of unintentional plagiarism or fabrication of data. Please act with integrity, for the sake of both your personal character and your academic record.
Electronic devices
Most of our class time will be spent in short lectures and in-person/online activities. Therefore, you are expected to bring your Bowdoin Macbook to class. Please make sure that your device is charged when you arrive to class. In order to minimize distractions, please close or exit out of all other programs except those needed during class, and put your Mac/iPad on “work” mode. All class time should be devoted to working on in-class activities and group work.
How many classes can you miss?
It not only benefits your learning, but benefits all of our learning to be present together in the same space. Class time is designed to take advantage of our presence together. To that end, your attendance will count towards your class participation.
Of course, emergencies (illness or family emergencies) can and do occur. Note: If you are sick, please stay home. However, I would greatly appreciate that you email me if you will be missing class. If you miss more than 2 classes and I haven’t heard from you, I will be in touch to check in on you. Hopefully you will have connections to other students in the class and can find out what you missed from a classmate. I will also try my best to upload slides and other course materials on the website and/or on Canvas.
Late Work Policy
Sometimes, life doesn’t go as planned and you have way too much going on to turn things in on time. That is OKAY! This course has the following policies for late work:
- Each student has 3 “flex” days that they can use at their discretion throughout the semester for specific assignments (see points 2 and 3). You can use all 3 days at once for a single assignment and turn in one assignment 3 days late (with no questions asked), OR you can spread the love across different assignments.
- Flex days may ONLY be used for weekly assignments (quizzes and/or writing assignment).
- Flex days may NOT be used for in-class assessments.
- If you need to turn in work late and do not have any flex days left, I will consider extensions based on legitimate reasons, which ONLY include verified illnesses and/or family emergencies. In these cases, you are encouraged to reach out to me at least 24 hours in advance of the due date.
- Work that is handed in late beyond the flex days or without an approved extension will automatically be graded on 50% of the original points.
- Using ONE flex day means you get a 24-hour extension. Please note that this is a strict extension and any work that is handed in beyond 24 hours after a flex day was requested will either need to use an additional flex day or will be graded on 50% of the original points.
- To request a flex day, you can send me an email within the 24-hour extension window, or leave a comment on your submitted assignment on Canvas.
Inclusion
I will do my very best to ensure that students from all backgrounds and perspectives receive equitable access and opportunity in this course, that students’ learning needs be addressed both in and out of class, and that the diversity students bring to this class is viewed as a resource, strength, and benefit. I hope to employ materials and engage in activities and dialogue that are respectful of different aspects of your identity.
Religious Holidays
No student is required to take an examination or fulfill other scheduled course requirements on recognized religious holidays. Students are expected to declare their intention to observe these holidays at the beginning of the semester.
Accommodations
Students with documented Bowdoin-granted accommodations have a right to have these met. I encourage you to see me in the first 2 weeks of class to discuss how your accommodations may support your learning process in this course. I highly encourage all students to meet with me in the first few weeks of class to discuss your learning preferences, challenges you may face learning this semester, and how we can create an effective learning experience for you. If you are interested in learning more about accommodations please see Lesley Levy in the Office of Student Accessibility or visit Bowdoin’s website on accessibility-related policies and resources.
Counseling Resources
As a student, you may experience a range of issues that can cause barriers to learning, such as strained relationships, increased anxiety, alcohol/drug problems, feeling down, difficulty concentrating and/or lack of motivation. These mental health concerns or stressful events may lead to diminished academic performance or reduced ability to participate in daily activities. Bowdoin College is committed to advancing the mental health and well-being of its students. If you or someone you know is feeling overwhelmed, depressed, and/or in need of support, services are available. You can learn more about the broad range of confidential mental health services available on campus at this link. The Dean of Students Office is also a resource for students facing personal and academic challenges. I encourage you to reach out to the amazing people in the dean’s office for a meeting anytime.
Learning Resources
The Baldwin Center for Learning and Teaching offers peer-to-peer resources including mentors, Q-Tutors, and Writing Assistants. If you or your family are multilingual, you may also take advantage of Lisa Flanagan to work on writing and speaking assignments and projects. Tina Chong is available as an Academic Coach to work with you on goal setting, managing time, study habits and other strategies to support academic success. You are encouraged to make an appointment and learn more about how the Center can support your learning.
Other resources
If you are on a budget or would benefit from financial assistance of any kind at any point in the semester, I encourage you to contact your Dean and explore the Supplemental and Emergency Funding website. The Office of the Dean of Students has grant and loan funds available to remove financial barriers so that students can more fully access the Bowdoin experience or to assist students with unexpected financial needs.
Mandated Reporter
As a faculty member, I am considered a Responsible Employee, per the Student Sexual Misconduct and Gender Based Violence Policy. As a Responsible Employee I am required to report disclosures of sexual misconduct, dating violence, stalking, and/or sexual and gender-based harassment to Bowdoin’s Title IX Coordinator, Kate O’Grady. My reporting does NOT mean that any actions will be taken beyond Kate reaching out to you and trying to schedule a time to talk to see what assistance you might need to be successful as a student here at Bowdoin. For more information please check out Bowdoin’s Title IX page.