Free online courseCognitive Psychology

Course Description

Welcome to Cognitive Psychology, an enlightening course. Over the span of 21 hours and 18 minutes, immerse yourself in the complex and fascinating world of Cognitive Psychology, a vital subfield of Health and Psychology.

We begin with an overview that introduces you to the fundamentals of cognitive psychology, exploring what it is and the methods used in this field. You will delve into its historical roots and learn about the Cognitive Revolution that significantly shaped current perspectives and practices.

The course then transitions to an in-depth examination of cognitive neuroscience. You'll get a foundational understanding of neurons and the brain's structure, learn about the phenomenon of split brains, and explore the various methodologies employed in cognitive neuroscience research. Understand the concept of reverse inference and its applications within this field.

Our journey continues through the intriguing realm of perception. Starting with visual perception, you'll understand how our brains interpret the visual world around us. Discuss perceptual constancy and different theories of perception, emphasizing the influence of top-down processes and the dual stream model for visual processing.

Attention, a key component of cognitive psychology, is covered extensively. Gain insights into signal detection, active search, selective attention, and divided attention. Learn about the fascinating intersections of attention with movies and magic, as well as the phenomena of inattention and neglect.

Memory forms another crucial part of this course. You'll explore the modalities of memory, including sensory memory, short-term memory, and working memory. More advanced topics such as long-term memory are discussed, focusing on serial position effects, encoding and retrieval processes, and the different types of long-term memory. Delve into the biological basis of memory, the impact of amnesia, and the concept that memory is constructed rather than an exact replica of past events.

Exploring psycholinguistics, you will discover the properties of language and the biological basis of speech sounds. Understand how we comprehend words and sentences, and explore language disorders as well as the intriguing relationship between language and thought. The topic extends to language use in animals, broadening your perspective on linguistic capabilities beyond humans.

The course culminates with a deep dive into judgment and decision-making, examining heuristics, biases, and fallacies. You will engage with the latest thoughts and theories in this domain, including follow-ups to the pioneering work of Daniel Kahneman.

Embark on this comprehensive and thought-provoking journey through cognitive psychology. Equip yourself with a deeper understanding of the human mind and its fascinating processes. This course invites you to expand your horizons and appreciate the intricate workings of cognition and its various facets.