This course is designed to study how we, as humans, acquire skills and knowledge thanks to brain plasticity and synaptic pruning. It looks at our neural networks from an evolutionary perspective. On a more fundamental level, it looks at the biological and social constraints of how and what we learn. Students investigate: cognitive biases and mindsets, decision-making processes, our drive and thirst for knowledge, primate cognition and social intelligence, the neurology of memory, and the role cognition has played in our evolution, behavior, and perception.
Students explore some of the questions regarding the way we, as a species, perceive, behave, and respond to the world around us, challenging themselves to look for personal connections. As they search for a deeper understanding of the scientific principles covered, students examine the validity of the theories presented to them about how the brain works. Labs explore the student’s perception and ability to learn from games, cognitive situations, and simulations. In the process, they learn about their own cognitive capabilities. Students also do online investigations about specific structures of the brain. Students are expected to write thorough reflections from readings and to do an oral presentation.