Special Topics in Cognition (460-0-1)

Topic

Spatial Cognition

Instructors

David H Uttal

Meeting Info

Swift Hall 231: Wed 10:00AM - 12:50PM

Overview of class

Spatial cognition involves mental representation and transformation of spatial information.

This course will be a graduate seminar that focuses on spatial cognition, which involves the mental representation and transformation of spatial information. We use spatial cognition in a variety ways from packing the car trunk, to navigating in a city, to solving scientific and mathematical problems that involve visual representations. In the last two decades, interest in spatial cognition has increased substantially, and this course is designed to provide an overview of these developments.

The class is relevant to psychology, education, communication, and many other disciplines. All graduate students are welcome to register for the course; advanced undergraduates will be considered based on discussion with the Professor.

Topics to be covered include the following: What mental representations support navigation in humans and non-humans, and how might these vary across cultures. How does gender relate to spatial thinking (and we will read and discuss a newly published feminist theory on this issue)? How does spatial thinking develop in children? How and why does spatial thinking relate to interest and performance in different topics, such as science, mathematics, engineering, and building trades?

Requirements include class attendance, leading class discussion two times across the quarter, a final paper or grant proposal, and short Discussion Board entrees.

Class Attributes

Prerequisites apply, see description

Enrollment Requirements

Enrollment Requirements: Pre-requisite: Student must be part of the Psychology PhD program to enroll.