Cognition and Emotion

Course

URL study guide

https://studiegids.vu.nl/en/courses/2024-2025/P_BCOGNEM

Course Objective

1. Understand different theoretical models of cognition and emotions, and assess their relevance to current research findings. 2. Summarize the role of specific brain regions and neural circuits involved in emotional processing, and how it is measured and studied. 3. Evaluate current research on the relationship between emotion and attention, memory, decision-making, and reward processing, and identify their strengths and limitations. 4. Interpret how cognitive processing may perpetuate emotional disorders 5. Discuss how research findings regarding cognition and emotion may be used in applied topics. 6. Critically evaluate the strength of claims regarding human behavior in mainstream/social media and advertisement of wellness programs in the future

Course Content

Human behavior and mental life cannot be fully understood without understanding the role of emotions. However, until recently emotional processes have been studied in isolation from basic cognitive processes, such as attention, perception, memory and language. The present course will present an integrative view of cognitive and emotional processes based on the recent behavioral and neuroscientific evidence. The topics that are covered will include the influence of emotional information on perception, allocation of visual attention, awareness, memory encoding and decision making, the role of emotional states on perception, attention and memory, as well practical applications, such as cognitive behavioral therapy and lie detection. The students will also have practical sessions where they will analyze data and write a brief report.

Teaching Methods

Lectures, practicum

Method of Assessment

Open-end exam, practical assignments

Literature

Fox, E. (2008). Emotion science cognitive and neuroscientific approaches to understanding human emotions. Palgrave Macmillan. LeDoux, J. E. (1996). The emotional brain: The mysterious underpinnings of emotional life.

Target Audience

B3 students track Genes, Cognition and Behaviour. Extra curricular students from a Ba 3 year.
Academic year1/09/2431/08/25
Course level6.00 EC

Language of Tuition

  • English

Study type

  • Bachelor