Cognitive Psychology

Code:

MCI0013

Acronym:

PCOG

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Social Science

Instance: 2009/2010 - 1S

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Department of Informatics Engineering
Course/CS Responsible:	Master in Information Science

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
MCI	9	Plano de estudos oficial	1	-	6	60	162

Teaching language

Portuguese

Objectives

1. To present Cognitive Psychology as an area of knowledge to be integrated in the professional training of Information Sciences;
2. To identify the basic concepts of this area;
3. To analyse the implications of that knowledge in the specific area of Information Sciences;
4. To relate and apply that knowledge with the processes of information design and offer;

Skills
1. To be familiar with the fundamentals of Cognitive Psychology
2. To be familiar with the participating factors in information search and retrieval
3. To apply the acquired knowledge to the area of Information Sciences
4. To be capable of using scientific approaches and developing them
5. To be capable of analysing and summarising
6. To be capable of planning, organising and presenting the work developed individually or in group
7. Problem solving – to apply research results to new problems in the professional environment and be capable of organizing and planning research projects

Program

1. Cognitive Psychology
1.1 Brief historical reference to the cognitive perspective
1.2 Present status of Cognitive Psychology
1.3 Cognitive Psychology and Information Science
2. Cognitive processes
2.1 Perception and Attention
2.1.1 The role of perception in the search and assessment of information credibility
2.2 Memory
2.2.1 Short-term and long-term memory
2.2.2 Implicit and explicit memory
2.2.3 Semantic memory
2.2.4 Memory functioning and information retrieval systems
2.3 Imagery
2.3.1 Characteristics of mental images
2.3.2 Cognitive maps
2.3.3 Information retrieval systems of visual information
2.4 Understanding and knowledge
2.4.1 Schemata
2.4.2 Metacognition
2.5 Language
2.5.1 Language understanding
2.5.1.1 Spoken language and speech perception
2.5.1.2 Reading
2.5.2 Language production
2.6 Resolution of problems and creativity
2.6.1 Factors involved in the resolution of problems and creativity
2.7 Logic reasoning and decision making
2.7.1 Conditional reasoning
2.7.2 Heuristics and decision making
2.7.3 Decision making and preference profiles
2.7.4 Factors involved in the assessment of information quality and information selection behaviour
2.8 Individual differences in cognition
2.8.1 Perspectives of development and psicometrics
2.8.2 Perspective of information processing
3. Cognition and affection
3.1 Knowledge and affection
3.2 Motivated reasoning
3.3 Capacities, interests and cognitive styles
3.4 Cognitive styles, search and selection of information

Mandatory literature

Atkinson, R. L., Atkinson, R. C., Smith, E. E., Bem, D. J., & Nolen-Hoeksema, S.; Introdução à Psicologia de Hilgard, Artmed Editora, 2002
Burns, R. B. & Dobson, C. B. ; Introductory Psychology, MTP Press Limited, 2002
Ellis, H. C. & Hunt, R. R. ; Fundamentals of cognitive Psychology, WCB Brown & Benchmark Publishers, 1993
Matlin, M. W. ; Cognition, Harcourt Brace Publishers, 1994
Martins. F.; Influência das emoções no desempenho cognitivo: ira e processamento de informação, Universidade do Minho, 1999
Sternberg, R. J.; Estilos de pensamento: a importância do seu conhecimento na escolha de estratégias de aprendizagem, Editora Replicação, Lda., 2002

Teaching methods and learning activities

A combination of the research work done by the students followed by oral presentations. Debates on the results of research papers in area of Cognitive Psychology and Information Sciences, as well as brief theoretical presentations.

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation with final exam

Assessment Components

Description	Type	Time (hours)	Weight (%)	End date
Attendance (estimated)	Participação presencial	56,00
	Trabalho escrito	50,00
	Exame	2,00
	Total:	-	0,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

Description	Type	Time (hours)	End date
	Estudo autónomo	54
	Total:	54,00

Eligibility for exams

According to General Evaluation Rules of FEUP

Calculation formula of final grade

Report or research assignment – 70% of the final grade
Final exam – 30% of the final grade
Students have to reach a minimum grade of 10 out of 20 in both components.

Examinations or Special Assignments

Not applicable

Special assessment (TE, DA, ...)

According to General Evaluation Rules of FEUP

Classification improvement

Not applicable