Psychology Department course unit outline 2009-2010

PS 1061: Sensation and Perception
Term I,     THURSDAY 2-4 pm     (Windsor Auditorium)
Course coordinator: Johannes M. Zanker (Room W 214, j.zanker@rhul.ac.uk)

Aims:
To introduce the major concepts of low-level sensory information processing and its relation to the control of behaviour and cognitive function: sensation, perception, motor control, and attentional modulation.

Learning outcomes:

As the result of successfully completing the course, students will:

•   understand the basic conceptual framework and some essential methods of studying the human sensory systems and their relation to cognitive and biological psychology;
•   be able to describe several mechanisms of sensation, perception, and action
•   be able to relate perceptual mechanisms to cortical structure and function, which will be covered by PS 1060 and PS 2061 in more detail
•   have gained an overview over the initial steps of information processing in the human brain as a basis of higher mental processing stages which are covered in PS 1021 and PS 2021

Topics and Lecturers:
Week    Date      Topic                                                                                                Lecturer
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  1.    01/10/08   Introduction: Perception as Gateway to the World                                JMZ
  2.    08/10/08   Visual Perception 1: Learning to Read the Neural Code                        JMZ  
  3.    15/10/08   Visual Perception 2: Illusions as Key to Reality                                     JMZ
  4.    22/10/08   Visual Perception 3: Traveling through space and time                          JMZ
  5.    29/10/08   Auditory Perception: From Noise to Sound                                          JMZ
  7.    12/11/08   Touch, Taste and Smell: Basic but Hidden Senses?                               JMZ
  8.    19/11/08   Eye Movements and Perception   (slides)                                             SD
  9.    26/11/08   Multi-sensory integration  (slides)                                                         SD
10.    03/12/08  Attentional Modulation of Perception                                                    GK
11.    10/12/08  Integration and Conceptual Frameworks: Making Sense of the World   JMZ
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SD = Szonya Durant               GK = Gustav Kuhn              JMZ = Johannes M Zanker

Learning and Teaching Methods:
10 two-hour lectures. Students can access e-handouts for each topic through the student intranet ('additional information'). Most lectures are accompanied by special web-pages accessible from the links in the list above, which contain further explanations, helpful links, and additional material including detailed reading lists, through which they are invited to consult research journals .

To support the discussion in the large class of first years, there is a student forum for posting comments, exchanging Questions & Answers, etc.

Assessment:
By means of a two-hour unseen written examination at the end of the year. A previous exam scripts can be found on the student intranet ('additional information'). It is also necessary to obtain a pass mark for the coursework essay. 3.5 year 1 units in total must be passed to progress to Year 2.

Coursework essay:
A 1500 word essay is required on: 'Describe and evaluate the two main theories of colour vision'. Instructions for the essay will be given in lecture 3 and further guidance can be found on the accompanying webpage. The instructions will be complemented by and discussed in a tutorial and marked by the PG tutor, who also will provide detailed feedback on the marked essays. A pass mark for this essay is required to progress to Year 2.

Alternative Assessment    !!! for   SAPRO students   only !!!
A 2000 word essay is required on: 'What can we learn from synaesthesia about the interaction of senses?'. Background for the essay will be given in lecture 8 and further guidance can be found on the accompanying webpage. The instructions will be complemented by and discussed in a tutorial and marked by the course oordinator, who also will provide detailed feedback on the marked essays.

Recommended books for general reading (key textbook highlighted):

• Breedlove SM, Rosenzweig MR, Watson NV (2007). Biological Psychology. (5th ed.) Sinauer (612.8 ROS)
• Bruce V, Green PR & Georgeson, M (2003) Visual Perception: Physiology, Psychology and Ecology (4th ed.) Hove: Psychology Press (152.14 BRU)
• Eysenck MW & Keane MT (2005) Cognitive psychology: a student's handbook. (5th ed.) Hove: Psychology Press (153.4 EYS)
• Goldstein, E.B. (2007) Sensation and Perception (7th ed.) Belmont: Wadsworth-Thompson (152.1 GOL)
• Gregory RL (1994) Eye and Brain. London: Oxford University Press. (152.14 GRE)
• Kalat, JW (2006) Biological psychology. (9th ed.) Belmont: Wadsworth/Thomson (612.8 KAL)
• Mather G (2006) Foundations of Perception. Hove: Psychology Press
• Milner AD & Goodale MA (1995) The Visual Brain in Action. Oxford: Oxford University Press, (152.14 MIL)
• Pashler, HE (1999) The Psychology of attention. Boston: MIT Press (153.1532 PAS)
• Snowden R, Thompson P & Troscianko T (2006) Basic Vision. Oxford: Oxford University Press (152.14 SNO)
• Ward J (2006) A student's guide to Cognitive Neuroscience. Hove: Psychology Press
• Wolfe JM, Kluender, Levi DM & Bartoshuk LM (2005) Sensation and Perception. Sunderland: Sinauer Ass.
• Zanker (2010) Sensation, Perception, Action - an evolutionary perspective. Palgrave <<this book will be published in March 2010>>

more specific pointers towards reading will be given in individual lectures, and key papers and book chapters can be downloaded from the virtual resources room ('additional information'), and through the links gioven at the end of individual lecture webpages (which are linked from the topics list above).

webpage: http://www.pc.rhul.ac.uk/staff/J.Zanker/PS1061/PS1061.htm
last update 8-12-2009