University of St Andrews

Key information

SCOTCAT credits : 15

ECTS credits : 7

Level : SCQF level 11

Semester: 2

Planned timetable: Lectures: Tuesdays 9-11; Practicals: Tuesdays 2-5 (Weeks 1-4, 6)

This module focuses on the origins of human cognition from evolutionary and developmental perspectives. How do we come to parse the 'blooming buzzing confusion' of cues from our physical and social environments into meaningful representations that support functionally adaptive behaviour? In the physical world are objects, their properties and the causal underpinnings of their interactions. The social world contains agents, their actions, and their mental states. How does cognitive processing reveal cues and build representations about the causal structure of the physical and social world? This course examines how these features are perceived and processed by developing humans and other animals for adaptive behaviour, and investigates the evidence for the proximate mechanisms underlying the abilities seen. The module links together the evolution and development of different cognitive abilities with a focus on empirical comparative research.

Learning and teaching methods and delivery

Weekly contact: 2-hour seminars, 3- hour tutorials and practicals.

Assessment pattern

As used by St Andrews: Coursework = 100%


Re-assessment: 100% Coursework; Resubmission of failed components only

Personnel

Module coordinator: Professor A M Seed
Module teaching staff: Dr A Seed
Module coordinator email ams18@st-andrews.ac.uk

Intended learning outcomes

• understand research methods by becoming familiar with current literature
• realise limits in methods and theory through critical evaluation
• formulate new studies to advance the field
• debate the extent to which problem-solving is underpinned by conceptual thought and reasoning in humans and other animals
• communicate a reasoned argument grounded in evidence and current theory both verbally and in writing