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PSYCH 256 (GS) Introduction to Cognitive Psychology (3) Introduction to study of such higher mental processes as thinking and reasoning, imagery, concept formation, problem solving, and skilled performance.
Overview
This course is designed as a survey of theories and research in human cognition, a subfield of psychology that includes the study of how we take in information through our senses, how we remember information and make decisions and how we think and solve problems.
Course Objectives
At the completion of this course, you will:
- Understand the stages of human information processing.
- Understand the different types of human memory.
- Understand how humans make decisions, solve problems and engage in creative thought.
Required Course Materials
Most World Campus courses require that students purchase materials (e.g., textbooks, specific software, etc.). To learn about how to order materials, please see the Course Materials page. You should check LionPATH approximately 3–4 weeks before the course begins for a list of required materials.Library Resources
Many of the University Libraries resources can be utilized from a distance. Through the Libraries website, you can
- access magazine, journal, and newspaper articles online using library databases;
- borrow materials and have them delivered to your doorstep—or even your desktop;
- get research help via email, chat, or phone using the Ask a Librarian service; and
- much more.
You must have an active Penn State Access Account to take full advantage of the Libraries' resources and service. The Off-Campus Users page has additional information about these free services.
Technical Specifications
| Operating System | Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8*; Mac OS X 10.5 or higher *Windows 8 support excludes the tablet only RT version |
|---|---|
| Processor | 2 GHz or higher |
| Memory | 1 GB of RAM |
| Hard Drive Space | 20 GB free disk space |
| Browser | We recommend the latest ANGEL-supported version of Firefox or
Internet Explorer. To determine if your browser fits this criterion,
and for advice on downloading a supported version,
please refer to the following ITS knowledge base article: Supported Browsers and Recommended Computers.
Note: Cookies, Java, and JavaScript must be enabled. Pop-up blockers should be configured to permit new windows from Penn State websites. Due to nonstandard handling of CSS, JavaScript and caching, older versions of Internet Explorer (such as IE 6 or earlier) do not work with our courses. |
| Plug-ins | Adobe Reader [Download from Adobe]
Flash Player (v7.0 or later) [Download from Adobe] |
| Additional Software | Microsoft Office (2007 or later) |
| Internet Connection | Broadband (cable or DSL) connection required |
| Printer | Access to graphics-capable printer |
| DVD-ROM | Required |
| Sound Card, Microphone, and Speakers | Required |
| Monitor | Capable of at least 1024 x 768 resolution |
If you need technical assistance at any point during the course, please contact the Service Desk.
For registration, advising, disability services, help with materials, exams, general problem solving, visit World Campus Student Services!
Course Schedule
| Date/Lesson | Topic/Assignment | Notes/Comments |
|---|---|---|
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Introduction
Read:
Assignment:
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Pattern Recognition
Read:
Assignment:
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Attention
Read:
Assignment:
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| Short-term Working Memory
Read:
Assignment:
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Long Term Memory
Read:
Assignment:
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Memory Codes
Read:
Assignment:
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Visual Images
Read:
Assignment:
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Categorization
Read:
Assignment:
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SPRING BREAK |
No Assignments given during this week. |
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Semantic Organization
Read:
Assignment:
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Language
Read:
Assignment:
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Comprehension and Memory for Text
Read:
Assignment:
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Problem Solving
Read:
Assignment:
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Expertise and Creativity
Read:
Assignment:
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Decision Making
Read:
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If you have permission to complete late work , this is the week to send your late work to the instructor |
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Read:
Assignment: Exam #2: Chapters 8-14 (50 points) |
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Formal instruction will end on the last day of class. Provided that you have an active Penn State Access Account user ID and password, you will continue to be able to access the course materials for one year, starting from the end date of the academic semester in which the course was offered (with the exception of library reserves and other external resources that may have a shorter archival period). After one year, you might be able to access the course based on the policies of the program or department offering the course material, up to a maximum of three years from the end date of the academic semester in which the course was offered. For more information, please review the University Course Archival Policy.
Grading
Chapter Commentaries: The fifteen (15) lessons in the course roughly correspond to a lesson for each chapter in the textbook. Each lesson has a brief commentary on the textbook material and you should read this commentary first. Then read the assigned textbook pages, several times if necessary, in order to understand the material thoroughly.
CogLab Experiments and Lesson Quizzes: The CogLab manual contains the descriptions of experiments that demonstrate concepts and research described in the textbook. The CogLab manual has an accompanying CD that contains the experiments described in the manual. This CD is interactive. You participate in five (5) of these experiments as directed by a particular week’s lesson. Most experiments take only a few minutes to complete. You will save your data in .html format so that you can copy and paste your data into a WORD file. After your data has been saved in WORD format, you will answer questions concerning the experiment. After the experiment questions have been answered, you will submit your experimental results and question answers to a drop box so that the instructor can grade your submission. Each completed CogLab experiment with question answers is worth 10 points.
Some week’s lessons will require that you take a 10 point quiz on the text material instead of completing a CogLab experiment. The quizzes are multiple choice and you will have three (3) trials to take the quiz in order to achieve a score of 10 points. If you have not achieved a score of 10 points after the three quiz sessions, your score will be the highest number of points achieved during one of the three sessions. If you achieve a 10-point score on trial 1 or 2, you can stop.
Exams: There will be two (2) multiple choice exams in the course. You will be given one (1) hour to answer 50 questions. Each exam open book and is worth 50 points for a total of 100 points.
Course Sequence: The course is presented in a particular sequence as shown in the Course Timetable. You must complete the work in the sequence shown in the timetable. Late work is not accepted unless it has been approved by the instructor prior to the due date of the assignment or exam. Normally, turning in an assignment after the due date will only be approved by the instructor if there is evidence of an emergency or illness affecting you or a member of your immediate family (parent or sibling).
Evaluation Procedures
The point total for this course is as shown below.
| Course assignment | Number of points for each assignment | Total number of points |
| 5 CogLab experiments | 10 points | 50 points |
| 5 Lesson quizzes | 10 points(10 questions per quiz) | 50 points |
| 2 Multiple choice exams | 50 points(50 questions per exam) | 100 points |
| Total | 200 points |
Final grades are based on the percentage of total points that you accumulate during the course. The formula used for this
calculation is (Your point total/ 200) X 100. Letter grades are assigned as shown in the conversion chart below:
Grading
The final grades of A, B, C, D, and F will be assigned as follows:
|
Letter Grade
|
Numerical Grade
|
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A
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93-100%
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A-
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90-92.99%
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B+
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87-89.99%
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B
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83-86.99%
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B-
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80-82.99%
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C+
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77-79.99%
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C
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70-76.99%
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D
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60-69.99%
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F
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Below 60%
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Please refer to the University Grading Policy for Undergraduate Courses for additional information about University grading policies.
If, for reasons beyond the student's control, a student is prevented from completing a course within the prescribed time, the grade in that course may be deferred with the concurrence of the instructor. The symbol DF appears on the student's transcript until the course has been completed. Non-emergency permission for filing a deferred grade must be requested by the student before the beginning of the final examination period. In an emergency situation, an instructor can approve a deferred grade after the final exam period has started. Under emergency conditions during which the instructor is unavailable, authorization is required from one of the following: the dean of the college in which the candidate is enrolled; the executive director of the Division of Undergraduate Studies if the student is enrolled in that division or is a provisional student; or the campus chancellor of the student's associated Penn State campus.
For additional information please refer to the Deferring a Grade page.
Contacting Your Instructor
You can contact your instructor in the ANGEL course site by selecting the Communicate tab and then selecting Send Course Mail. Finally, from the Recipients list, select FACULTY and click the To button.
Academic Integrity
According to Penn State policy G-9: Academic Integrity , an academic integrity violation is “an intentional, unintentional, or attempted violation of course or assessment policies to gain an academic advantage or to advantage or disadvantage another student academically.” Unless your instructor tells you otherwise, you must complete all course work entirely on your own, using only sources that have been permitted by your instructor, and you may not assist other students with papers, quizzes, exams, or other assessments. If your instructor allows you to use ideas, images, or word phrases created by another person (e.g., from Course Hero or Chegg) or by generative technology, such as ChatGPT, you must identify their source. You may not submit false or fabricated information, use the same academic work for credit in multiple courses, or share instructional content. Students with questions about academic integrity should ask their instructor before submitting work.
Students facing allegations of academic misconduct may not drop/withdraw from the affected course unless they are cleared of wrongdoing (see G-9: Academic Integrity ). Attempted drops will be prevented or reversed, and students will be expected to complete course work and meet course deadlines. Students who are found responsible for academic integrity violations face academic outcomes, which can be severe, and put themselves at jeopardy for other outcomes which may include ineligibility for Dean’s List, pass/fail elections, and grade forgiveness. Students may also face consequences from their home/major program and/or The Schreyer Honors College.
How Academic Integrity Violations Are Handled
World Campus students are expected to act with civility and
personal integrity; respect other students' dignity, rights, and
property; and help create and maintain an environment in which all
can succeed through the fruits of their own efforts. An environment
of academic integrity is requisite to respect for oneself and
others, as well as a civil community.
In cases where academic integrity is questioned, the Policy on Academic Integrity indicates that procedure requires an instructor to inform the student of the allegation. Procedures allow a student to accept or contest a charge. If a student chooses to contest a charge, the case will then be managed by the respective college or campus Academic Integrity Committee. If that committee recommends an administrative sanction (Formal Warning, Conduct Probation, Suspension, Expulsion), the claim will be referred to the Office of Student Accountability and Conflict Response.
All Penn State colleges abide by this Penn State policy, but review procedures may vary by college when academic dishonesty is suspected. Information about Penn State's academic integrity policy and college review procedures is included in the information that students receive upon enrolling in a course. To obtain that information in advance of enrolling in a course, please contact us by going to the Contacts & Help page .
Accommodating Disabilities
Additional Policies
For information about additional policies regarding Penn State Access Accounts; credit by examination; course tuition, fees, and refund schedules; and drops and withdrawals, please see the World Campus Student Center website.
Disclaimer: Please note that the specifics of this Course Syllabus are subject to change, and you will be responsible for abiding by any such changes. Your instructor will notify you of any changes.