Advanced Cognitive Psychology 6190/7190
Fall 2019; M 6:00-9:00 PM; COE 248
 

Instructor: Dr. William Langston
Office: JH 100
Phone: 615/898-5489 (office)
email: william.langston@mtsu.edu
Office Hours: 12-1 T, 2:30-3:30 W, drop in anytime, calling first is a good idea, email for appointments.
 
[Texts] [Course Description] [Responsibilities] [Grading] [Policies] [Calendar] [Reading List]
 
Texts:
 
Any cognitive psychology text. You may be able to get by with the readings if you've already had cognitive.

Readings are available via the reading list below.

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Course Description:
 
In this course we will explore what goes on in the “black box” between stimulus and response. Loosely speaking, we will start with getting information into your mind, and we will follow its progress from there. We will spend a fair amount of time discussing the problems associated with trying to observe unobservable mental functions.

The plan (for each meeting):
1. Discuss the previous week's readings (related to the previous week's lecture topic). This part will commence with week 2. You will get to lead these discussions.

2. I discuss the current topic (a general overview) to prepare for the readings (discussed in the following week).

Threads:
1. What is cognitive psychology (an overview of the areas and concerns)? What are the ways in which the information processing paradigm accurately describes what we do, and in what ways is it limiting?

2. How does science work (obviously, applied to psychology)? We'll look at a variety of articles and responses to see how data turn into ideas about cognition.

3. How does cognitive psychology fit into the discipline of psychology? We will focus primarily on social psychology due to its close connection. Overall, I have made an effort to bridge the different units within cognitive psychology (by picking articles that can't easily be classified as one or the other). I've also chosen articles that connect to areas outside of cognitive when possible. The idea is to make sure we evaluate cognitive functioning in the context of the entire person.

4. How is cognitive psychology applied? What are the implications of research into attention, thinking, working memory, etc. for life? In addition to the connection to areas highlighted by social psychology, we will also look at educational implications.

5. Recent trends/latest data. Emphasis on the word recent, not "will be important" or "will stand the test of time," just what people are talking about right now. As you progress in your career, some of these ideas will fizzle out and some will show up as prominent. Hopefully, by looking at them now you will eventually be able to discern what is a trend (or even pathological science) as opposed to what will actually matter. (Note that development of this skill will take life experience.)
 
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Responsibilities:
 
1. Exams: Exams in this class are an opportunity for you to have some fun and interact with the material. I will ask you to apply the core readings to problems or I will ask you to build bridges and make connections. We will have two exams spaced evenly throughout the semester. These will be take-home exams. Exams are worth 100 points each.
 
2. Optional final: You will have the option of completing a final exam. This exam has the same format as the other exams, but it will incorporate material from your presentations. The final will also be take-home. The final is worth 100 points.
 
3. Weekly Reaction Reports (WRRs): During the semester you will write at least 5 reports on topics that we are covering. These may be based on the assigned readings. Note that these are reaction reports, meaning that you are expected to critically evaluate the material being discussed, not write a book report. These reports give you an opportunity to talk back to the material, and to take some time to think about issues that come up in a more formal context. These reports are meant to assist you in making the transition from a consumer of information to a producer of it. It is in your best interest to turn in reaction papers as we go along, so you should plan on turning in only one per week (the report doesn't have to "go with" the material being covered in a given week). Also, you should plan to complete your WRRs before the end of the semester so that we have a chance to discuss your ideas. WRRs may not exceed one typed, double-spaced page in length. WRRs are worth 10 points each. If you write more than 5, additional scores may be counted as extra credit. A brief presentation on a topic may be substituted for a WRR. Information on WRRs is available on the Advanced Cognitive Psychology page.

If you are enrolled in 7190, you owe me 10 WRRs, and at least two of those must be presentations.
 
4. Presentation: You will have the opportunity to present a research design to the class at the end of the semester. The presentation is worth 50 points. Ideally, this will be the description of a study you've designed (inspired by the course), and it could translate into a thesis or an actual research project. Again, as you make the transition from a consumer of information to a producer of information, you need opportunities to practice research design and opportunities to present those ideas to interested colleagues for feedback and discussion.

If you are in 7190, you owe me a formal write up of your presentation as a research proposal (intro and method sections).

5. Participation: This class is a seminar. Our conversations about the material are the class. So, it is important that you take advantage of the opportunity to participate. The activities that go into this portion include reading the assigned material, leading discussions, making contributions, and asking questions of other presenters. This component is worth 50 points.
 
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Grading:
 
Assignments: Description: Points:
Exams
 2 @ 100 each
 200
Final
100
WRRs
 5 @ 10 each
 50 (100 7190)
Presentation
50
Participation
50
TOTAL
450 (500 7190)
 
Grading scale 6190: >405 = A; >392 = B+; >374 = B; >360 = B-; >346 = C+; >328 = C; >315 = C-; >302 = D+; >284 = D; >270 = D-; >0 = F (choose the highest for which you qualify).
Grading scale 7190: It changes on the 3s and the 7s.
If you choose to make the final optional, take your total out of 350 (400 7190) points.
 
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Policies:
 
1. Attendance: In order to derive the maximum benefit from this course, you need to attend the class meetings. At times, you may have a problem making it to a class. In that case, please let me know that you will miss and we can make arrangements at that time. I will pass around a sign-up sheet every week. You may skype in or attend electronically occasionally if you need to, but you're on your own with the technology aspects of that.
 
2. Late policy: Please complete assignments on time. I have scheduled due dates in my courses to be staggered so that I can return grades in a timely manner. Please help me to keep the promise in number 3 below by turning in your assignments when they are due.
 
3. Grading guarantee (my late policy): Exams will be returned within one week of the exam date. Bonus points will be awarded at the rate of five points per incomplete exam per day until they are graded. Bonus points will be divided equally amongst all students with perfect attendance.
 
4. Missed exams: If you know in advance, please notify me to make arrangements. I will work with you to reschedule if you are forced to miss.
 
5. Course notes are available on the web at http://capone.mtsu.edu/wlangsto/AdvCog.html. These notes explain my rationale for choosing each article and what I am hoping to get out of it. For background, check the notes for the regular cognitive course at http://capone.mtsu.edu/wlangsto/Cog.html. The powerpoints in that course are the most up-to-date notes.
 
6. Drop deadlines: The last day to drop without a grade is September 8. The last day to drop is October 30 (you will receive some sort of grade). If you stay in the class after October 30, you will not be able to drop unless you experience a major tragedy or emergency. Incompletes will only be given if you have successfully completed the majority of the coursework and were prevented from finishing by a major tragedy or emergency.
 
7. Any student engaging in any form of academic misconduct will lose credit for the relevant assignment and will be subjected to the appropriate university proceedings.
 
8. If you experience problems in the course, see me. You’re welcome in my office anytime.
 
9. Reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities: If you require assistance or accommodation (e.g., testing, note-taking, etc.), or you have questions related to such accommodations, speak to me as soon as possible. Also, the Disability and Access Center (898-2783) can provide information about such accommodations. Additional information is here: http://www.mtsu.edu/ada/syllabus.php.

10. MTSU faculty are concerned about the well-being and development of our students and are legally obligated to share reports of sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence and stalking with the University’s Title IX coordinator to help ensure student’s safety and welfare. Please refer to MTSU’s Title IX site for contact information and details: http://www.mtsu.edu/titleix/

11. Statement on academic misconduct: http://www.mtsu.edu/provost/fac_handbook/Academic_Misconduct_Syllabus.pdf
 
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Calendar:
 
Meeting:  Topic: Notes:
8/26
 Background/What is the cognitive psychology paradigm?
 1
9/2
 H O L I D A Y Monday, 9/2
9/9
 Discuss readings 1
Introduce pattern recognition/Perception/Imagery 		2
9/16
 Discuss readings 2
Introduce attention
 3
9/23
 Discuss readings 3
Introduce working memory
 4
9/30
 Discuss readings 4
Introduce long term memory
Exam 1 (due 10/7)
 5
10/7
 Discuss readings 5
Introduce memory applications
 6
10/14
 F A L L  B R E A K Monday, 10/14
10/21
 Discuss readings 6
Introduce cognition
 7
10/28
 Discuss readings 7
Introduce language
 8
11/4
 Discuss readings 8
Introduce the social context
 9
11/11
 Discuss readings 9
Introduce reasoning and problem solving
Exam 2 (due 11/18)
 10
11/18
 Discuss readings 10
11/25
 Your presentations
12/2
 Your presentations
12/9 Final exam -- Monday, 12/9, due by 9:00 PM
 
Please note: Some due dates and topics may shift to later dates. In no event will due dates be moved to an earlier date. We may not stick entirely to this schedule if interesting diversions come up along the way.
 
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Reading List:
How to get the readings:

1. Most of the articles below are paired with a doi (digital object identifier). Clicking on the doi will link you to the article and allow you to download its pdf. Many of these articles will require payment to download unless you access them from MTSU. All of the articles with doi's below are free on campus through MTSU's subscriptions. Theoretically, the links on the doi's will take you to the article directly without any copying and pasting.

2. If you click a doi and are asked to pay for a pdf, go to the library's website and look up the article in the PsycInfo database. The full text feature there will link you to the pdf for free.

3. Some articles might be on eReserve at the library. For those, go to the course reserves and search this class.

4. Some articles are available from direct links.

5. I haven't thoroughly read most of these. So, there might be a dud in the mix. If we get a bad one, we can pivot.

If you have problems accessing any articles, please let me know ASAP.

Unit 1: Background/What is the cognitive psychoogy paradigm?/Methodology

  1. Zerr, C. L., Berg, J. J., Nelson, S. M., Fishell, A. K., Savalia, N. K., & McDermott, K. B. (2018). Learning efficiency: Identifying individual differences in learning rate and retention in healthy adults. Psychological Science, 29, 1436-1450. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0956797618772540
  2. Klein, R. A. et al. (2018). Many Labs 2: Investigating variation in replicability across samples and settings. Advances in Methods and Practices in Psychological Science, 1, 443-490. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/2515245918810225
  3. Simmons, J. P., Nelson, L. D., & Simonsohn, U. (2011). False-positive psychology: Undisclosed flexibility in data collection and analysis allows presenting anything as significant. Psychological Science, 22, 1359-1366. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0956797611417632
  4. LeBel, E. P., McCarthy, R. J., Earp, B. D., Elson, M., & Vanpaemel, W. (1018). A unified framework to quantify the credibility of scientific findings. Advances in Methods and Practices in Psychological Science, 1, 389-402. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/2515245918787489
  5. Carney, D. R., Cuddy, A. J. C., & Yap, A. J. (2015). Review and summary of research on the embodied effects of expansive (vs. contractive) nonverbal displays. Psychological Science, 26, 657-663. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0956797614566855
  6. Simmons, J. P., & Simonsohn, U. (2017). Power posing: P-curving the evidence. Psychological Science, 28, 687-693. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0956797616658563
  7. Cuddy, A. J. C., Schultz, S. J., & Fosse, N. E. (2018). P-Curving a more comprehensive body of research on postural feedback reveals clear evidential value for power-posing effects: Reply to Simmons and Simonsohn (2017). Psychological Science, 29, 656-666. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0956797617746749

Unit 2: Pattern recognition/Perception/Imagery

  1. Corbett, J. E., & Munneke, J. (2018). "It's not a tumor": A framework for capitalizing on individual diversity to boost target detection. Psychological Science, 29, 1692-1705. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0956797618784887
  2. Van der Stigchel, S., & Hollingworth, A. (2018). Visuospatial working memory as a fundamental component of the eye movement system. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 27, 136-143. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0963721417741710
  3. Ekroll, V., Sayim, B., & Wagemans, J. (2017). The other side of magic: The psychology of perceiving hidden things. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 12, 91-106. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1745691616654676
  4. Schnall, S. (2017). Social and contextual constraints on embodied perception. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 12, 325-340. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1745691616660199
  5. Firestone, C., & Scholl, B. J. (2017). Seeing and thinking in studies of embodied "perception": How (not) to integrate vision science and social psychology. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 12, 341-343. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1745691616679944
  6. Durgin, F. H. (2017). Counterpoint: Distinguishing between perception and judgment of spatial layout. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 12, 344-346. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1745691616677829
  7. Schnall, S. (2017). No magic bullet in sight: A reply to Firestone and Scholl (2017) and Durgin (2017). Perspectives on Psychological Science, 12, 347-349. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1745691617691948
Unit 3: Attention
  1. Kunar, M. A., Carter, R., Cohen, M., & Horowitz, T. S. (2008). Telephone conversation impairs sustained visual attention via a central bottleneck. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 15, 1135-1140. http://dx.doi.org/10.3758/PBR.15.6.1135
  2. Sanbonmatsu, D. M., Strayer, D. L., Biondi, F., Behrends, A. A., & Moore, S. M. (2016). Cell-phone use diminishes self-awareness of impaired driving. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 23, 617-623. http://dx.doi.org/10.3758/s13423-015-0922-4
  3. Chen, H., & Wyble, B. (2015). Amnesia for object attributes: Failure to report attended information that had just reached conscious awareness. Psychological Science, 26, 203-210. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0956797614560648
  4. Castelhano, M. S., & Witherspoon, R. L. (2016). How you use it matters: Object function guides attention during visual search in scenes. Psychological Science, 27, 606-621. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0956797616629130
  5. Augustinova, M., & Ferrand, L. (2014). Automaticity of word reading: Evidence from the semantic stroop paradigm. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 23, 343-348. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0963721414540169
  6. Besner, D., Risko, E. F., Stolz, J. A., White, D., Reynolds, M., O'Malley, S., & Robidouz, S. (2016). Varieties of attention: Their roles in visual word identification. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 25, 162-168. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0963721416639351
Unit 4: Working memory
  1. Vandierendonck, A. (2016). A working memory system with distributed executive control. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 11, 74-100. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1745691615596790
  2. Jones, D. M., & Macken, B. (2018). In the beginning was the deed: Verbal short-term memory as object-oriented action. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 27, 351-356. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0963721418765796
  3. Shipstead, Z., Harrison, T. L., & Engle, R. W. (2016). Working memory capacity and fluid intelligence: Maintenance and disengagement. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 11, 771-799. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1745691616650647
  4. Unsworth, N., Redick, T. S., McMillan, B. D., Hambrick, D. Z., Kane, M. J., & Engle, R. W. (2015). Is playing video games related to cognitive abilities? Psychological Science, 26, 759-774. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0956797615570367
  5. Ashcraft, M. H., & Krause, J. A. (2007). Working memory, math performance, and math anxiety. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 14, 243-248. http://dx.doi.org/10.3758/BF03194059

Unit 5: Long term memory

  1. Cepeda, N. J., Vul, E., Rohrer, D., Wixted, J. T., & Pashler, H. (2008). Spacing effects in learning: A temporal ridgeline of optimal retention. Psychological Science, 19, 1095-1102. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9280.2008.02209.x
  2. Karpicke, J. D., & Roediger, H. L. (2008). The critical importance of retrieval for learning. Science, 319, 966-968. http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.1152408
  3. Soderstrom, N. C., Kerr, T. K., & Bjork, R. A. (2016). The critical importance of retrieval--and spacing--for learning. Psychological Science, 27, 223-230. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0956797615617778
  4. Mazza, S., Gerbier, E., Gustin, M.-P., Kasikci, Z., Koenig, O., Toppino, T. C., & Magnin, M. (2016). Relearn faster and retain longer: Along with practice, sleep makes perfect. Psychological Science, 27, 1321-1330. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0956797616659930
  5. Jonker, T. R., Seli, P., & MacLeod, C. M. (2015). Retrieval-induced forgetting and context. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 24, 273-278. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0963721415573203
  6. Koppel, J., & Rubin, D. C. (2016). Recent advances in understanding the reminiscence bump: The importance of cues in guiding recall from autobiographical memory. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 25, 135-140. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0963721416631955
  7. Bauml, K.-H. (2019). Context retrieval as a critical component in selective memory retrieval. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 28, 177-182. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0963721419827520

Unit 6: Memory applications

  1. Dunlosky, J., Rawson, K. A., Marsh, E. J., Nathan, M. J., & Willingham, D. T. (2013). Improving students' learning with effective learning techniques: Promising directions from cognitive and educational psychology. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 14, 4-58. http://psi.sagepub.com/content/14/1/4.full.pdf+html?ijkey=Z10jaVH/60XQM&keytype=ref&siteid=sppsi
  2. Miyatsu, T., Nguyen, K., & McDaniel, M. A. (2018). Five popular study strategies: Their pitfalls and optimal implementations. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 13, 390-407. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1745691617710510
  3. Schmidt, R. A., & Bjork, R. A. (1992). New conceptualizations of practice: Common principles in three paradigms suggest new concepts for training. Psychological Science, 3, 207-217. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9280.1992.tb00029.x
  4. Bjork, R. A. (2018). Being suspicious of the sense of ease and undeterred by the sense of difficulty: Looking back at Schmidt and Bjork (1992). Perspectives on Psychological Science, 13, 146-148. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1745691617690642
  5. MacLeod, C. M., & Bodner, G. E. (2017). The production effect in memory. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 26, 390-395. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0963721417691356
  6. DeSoto, K. A., & Roediger, III, H. L. (2019). Remembering the presidents. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 28, 138-144. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0963721418815685

Unit 7: Cognition

  1. Simons, D. J., Boot, W. R., Charness, N., Gathercole, S. E., Chabris, C. F., Hambrick, D. Z., & Stine-Morrow, E. A. L. (2016). Do "brain-training" programs work? Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 17, 103-191. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1529100616661983
  2. Sala, G., & Gobet, F. (2017). Does far transfer exist? Negative evidence from chess, music, and working memory training. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 26, 515-520. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0963721417712760
  3. Pennycook, G., Fugelsang, J. A., & Koehler, D. J. (2015). Everyday consequences of analytical thinking. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 24, 425-432. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0963721415604610
  4. Sisk, V. F., Burgoyne, A. P., Sun, J., Butler, J. L., & Macnamara, B. N. (2018). To what extent and under which circumstances are growth mind-sets important to academic achievement? Two meta-analyses. Psychological Science, 29, 549-571. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0956797617739704
  5. Goldstone, R. L., Marghetis, T., Weitnauer, E., Ottmar, E. R., & Landy, D. (2017). Adapting perception, action, and technology for mathematical reasoning. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 26, 434-441. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0963721417704888
  6. Srna, S., Schrift, R. Y., & Zauberman, G. (2018). The illusion of multitasking and its positive effect on performance. Psychological Science, 29, 1942-1955. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0956797618801013
Unit 8: Language
  1. Lupyan, G., & Clark, A. (2015). Words and the world: Predictive coding and the language-perception-cognition interface. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 24, 279-284. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0963721415570732
  2. James, K. H. (2017). The importance of handwriting experience on the development of the literate brain. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 26,  502-508. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0963721417709821
  3. Ziegler, J. C. et al. (2010). Orthographic depth and its impact on universal predictors of reading: A cross-language investigation. Psychological Science, 21, 551-559. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/095679761036340
  4. Bowers, J. S., & Bowers, P. N. (2018). Progress in reading instruction requires a better understanding of the English spelling system. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 27, 407-412. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0963721418773749
  5. Snefjella, B., & Kuperman, V. (2015). Concreteness and psychological distance in natural language use. Psychological Science, 26, 1449-1460. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0956797615591771
  6. Mirault, J., Snell, J., & Grainger, J. (2018). You that read wrong again! A transposed-word effect in grammaticality judgments. Psychological Science, 29, 1922-1929. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0956797618806296
Unit 9: The social context
  1. Maloney, E. A., Ramirez, G., Gunderson, E. A., Levine, S. C., & Beilock, S. L. (2015). Intergenerational effects of parents' math anxiety on children's math achievement and anxiety. Psychological Science, 26, 1480-1488. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0956797615592630
  2. Halkjelsvik, T., & Rise, J. (2015). Persistence motives in irrational decisions to complete a boring task. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 41, 90-102. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0146167214557008
  3. FeldmanHall, O., Raio, C. M., Kubota, J. T., Seiler, M. G., & Phelps, E. A. (2015). The effects of social context and acute stress on decision making under uncertainty. Psychological Science, 26, 1918-1926. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0956797615605807
  4. Coman, A., & Berry, J. N. (2015). Infectious cognition: Risk perception affects socially shared retrieval-induced forgetting of medical information. Psychological Science, 26, 1965-1971. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0956797615609438
  5. Goudeau, S., & Croizet, J.-C. (2017). Hidden advantages and disadvantages of social class: How classroom settings reproduce social inequality by staging unfair comparison. Psychological Science, 28, 162-170. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0956797616676600
Unit 10: Reasoning and problem solving
  1. Pilditch, T. D., Fenton, N., & Lagnado, D. (2019). The zero-sum fallacy in evidence evaluation. Psychological Science, 30, 250-260. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0956797618818484
  2. van Prooijen, J.-W., & van Vugt, M. (2018). Conspiracy theories: Evolved functions and psychological mechanisms. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 13, 770-788. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1745691618774270
  3. Pennycook, G., Cheyne, J. A., Barr, N., Koehler, D. J., & Fugelsang, J. A. (2015). On the reception and detection of pseudo-profound bullshit. Judgment and Decision Making, 10, 549-563. http://journal.sjdm.org/15/15923a/jdm15923a.pdf
  4. Dalton, C. (2016). Bullshit for you; transcendence for me. A commentary on "On the reception and detection of pseudo-profound bullshit". Judgment and Decision Making, 11, 121-122. http://journal.sjdm.org/15/15923ac/jdm15923ac.pdf
  5. Pennycook, G., Cheyne, J. A., Barr, N., Koehler, D. J., & Fugelsang, J. A. (2016). It's still bullshit: Reply to Dalton (2016). Judgment and Decision Making, 11, 123-125. http://journal.sjdm.org/15/15923ac/jdm15923acr.pdf
  6. Lewandowsky, S., & Oberauer, K. (2016). Motivated rejection of science. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 25, 217-222. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0963721416654436

Advanced Cognitive Psychology Syllabus
Will Langston
 
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