Course details

8.3365

Cognitive Development

 S
WS 2020 Dr. phil. habil. Annette Hohenberger ONLINE
4h/wk
8 ECTS 		B.Sc modules:
CS-BWP-CNP - Cognitive (Neuro-)Psychology
KOGW-WPM-KNP - Cognitive (Neuro-)Psychology
M.Sc modules:
CS-MWP-CNP - Cognitive (Neuro-)Psychology
 Tue: 10-14

General approach: “Cognitive development” provides knowledge and insights into how children develop over the life-span. It also serves as a window to the mind in terms of the dynamics of change. Course content: The course will address major theoretical accounts of cognitive development (nativist, empiricist, constructivist, and non-linear dynamic systems), in historical and contemporary perspective. We will explore major areas of cognitive development – face perception; language; understanding of human (goal-directed) action; understanding others (theory of mind, imitation, prosocial and antisocial others); understanding the physical word (objects, events, causality); conceptual development (object categories, conceptual change); sense of magnitude (time, number, space); memory and executive function; tool use and tool innovation; cultural development and understanding of normativity. Method(ologie)s: Students will be encouraged to critically assess behavioral and neuroscience methodologies as well as empirical/ experimental paradigms, methods, and tasks (e.g., habituation, looking paradigms, violation of expectation). Interdisciplinary and integrative approach: We will view infants and children from the perspectives of the various domains of cognitive science. Children’s cognitive development will be integrated with their physical, motor, emotional, social, and cultural development. Course conduct: The lecturer will introduce theories of cognitive development and major topics, highlighting theories, methods, empirical findings, and related controversies. Students will deepen these topics through (group and individual) presentations and lively discussions in class. Reading assignments will be given each week via stud-ip. Prerequisites: “Foundations of Cognitive Science” and/or “Introduction to Cognitive (Neuro-)Psychology”