MYPS0111c Fundamentals of Cognitive Psychology - exercise

Faculty of Medicine
autumn 2025
Extent and Intensity
0/0.5/0. 2 credit(s). Type of Completion: z (credit).
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Miroslav Šipula (seminar tutor)
Mgr. Lenka Štěpánková, Ph.D. (seminar tutor)
Guaranteed by
Mgr. Lenka Štěpánková, Ph.D.
Department of Psychology – Faculty of Social Studies
Supplier department: Department of Psychology – Faculty of Social Studies
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
It is an introductory course providing students with an insight into classical theories of human cognition. The lecture topics represent an overview of cognitive processes with an emphasis on scientific approach towards human cognition. This course represents a base for further study of other psychological disciplines.
Learning outcomes
After successful completion of the course, a student would be able to:
1. Characterize particular cognitive processes and their relation to behavior
2. Explain certain chosen theories of perception, attention, and memory models
3. Formulate a conclusion about the relation between human cognition, behavior, emotions and motivation
4. Describe scientific methods used in experimental research of cognition
5. Integrate the knowledge about human cognition into other psychological disciplines
Syllabus
  • Course Introduction
  • Psychology as a separate scientific discipline, historical overview of psychological schools with the emphasis on cognitive revolution and its impact on the further development of the field, from cognitive revolution towards modern cognitive science, current trends in research and philosophy of consciousness (from Turing through Searle to Dannett).
  • Perception
  • Psychophysics (Weber-Fechner law), object recognition (Marr´s model, Biederman´s model), constructivist theory of perception vs. direct perception (Gibson), embedded cognition and affordances, color perception (Young-Helmholtz theory, Hering theory and Hurvich theory), gestalt laws of perception, visual illusions, perception pathology (blindsight, neglect, prosopagnosia), non-standard perception (synesthesia), mental representations, Paivio´s model of dual coding, schemas (Bartlett), scripts (Schank & Abelson), propositions (Kosslyn), mental rotations (Shepard & Metzler), boundary extension (Intraub).
  • Memory
  • Types of memory according to the information stored (episodic, semantic and autobiographical memory), the relation between episodic and autobiographical memory (Pathman et al., 2011), declarative and procedural memory, types of memory according the time period of information storage (Atkinson & Shiffrin model), working memory (Baddeley & Hitch), Conway´s model of autobiographical memory, autobiographical memory and trauma, reminiscence bump and cultural life scripts (Berntsen & Rubin), flashbulb memories (Brown & Kulik), Living in history (Brown), forgetting and amnesia.
  • Attention
  • Definition and characteristics of attention, classical filter theories of attention (Treisman, Deutsch & Deutsch, Broadbent), Kahneman, Norman and Bobrow´s model of attention, divided attention, cocktail party phenomenon, change blindness, experimental methods to test attention.
  • Language and speech
  • Foundations of psycholinguistics, cognitive anthropology, Sapir-Whorf hypothesis, language and thought, different theories of concept categorization, speech apprehension theories (Piaget, Vygotsky, Chládková), reading and speech production, theory of memes (Blackmore), aphasia.
  • Thinking and decision making
  • Making judgments and deciding, deduction and induction in thinking, Tversky and Kahneman prospect theory, heuristics, Damasio and Bechara (somatic marker hypothesis, Iowa gambling task and its criticism).
Literature
    required literature
  • EYSENCK, Michael W. and Mark T. KEANE. Cognitive psychology : a student's handbook. Seventh edition. London: Psychology Press, Taylor & Francis Group, 2015, xviii, 838. ISBN 9781848724167. info
  • EYSENCK, Michael W. and Mark T. KEANE. Kognitivní psychologie. Translated by Miroslav Filip. Vyd. 1. Praha: Academia, 2008, 748 s. ISBN 9788020015594. info
    recommended literature
  • GOLDSTEIN, E. B. (2014). Cognitive psychology: Connecting mind, research and everyday experience. Nelson Education.
  • KAHNEMAN, Daniel. Myšlení - rychlé a pomalé. Translated by Eva Nevrlá. Vydání první. V Brně: Jan Melvil, 2012, 542 stran. ISBN 9788087270424. URL info
  • STERNBERG, Robert J. Kognitivní psychologie. Translated by František Koukolík - Rostislav Benák - Dagmar Brejlová - Jiř. Vydání první. Praha: Portál, 2002, 636 stran. ISBN 8071783765. info
    not specified
  • Baars, B. J., & Gage, N. M. (2010). Cognition, brain, and consciousness: Introduction to cognitive neuroscience. Academic Press.
  • ŠIKL, Radovan. Zrakové vnímání. 1. vydání. Praha: Grada Publishing, 2012, 312 stran. ISBN 9788024730295. URL info
Teaching methods
Seminar Exercises During the seminar exercises, students will engage with the application of lecture material through various interesting activities and will actively participate in the sessions. Completing the assigned task for any missed seminar is required, even in cases of absence. Self-study of Literature Each of the five topics will require students to study one scientific article (provided by the instructor in the course materials) prior to the seminar exercise dedicated to that topic. Reading all of the studies is recommended, as their content may be included in the final test. The first seminar exercise does not require an assignment, but it is still recommended that students read the study related to this session. Mandatory Homework Throughout the semester, each student must prepare at least one discussion question for each of the five studies and submit it to the designated submission folder. Additionally, the student must create one test question related to the topic, consisting of five answer options, with only one correct answer. Discussion during Seminar Exercises
Assessment methods
Homework evaluation (Specific rules of evaluation and detailed homework assignment can be found in interactive syllabus). Student is required to hand in all the mandatory homework, after that will be allowed to participate on the final test. Late due of the homework will not be accepted at any circumstances. Quiz. There is a mandatory half-time quiz during the semester. The score will be counted in the final grade. The maximum a student can get from one quiz is 20 points.
Language of instruction
Czech
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