Time Schedule:
Anthony G. Greenwald
PSYCH 463
Seattle Campus
Overview of method, theory, and findings concerning cognitive processes operating outside attentional focus or without introspective awareness. Considers relevance to basic phenomena of social, cognitive, and clinical psychology. Prerequisite: minimum grade of 2.0 in either PSYCH 315 or PSYCH 317; minimum grade of 2.0 in either PSYCH 303, PSYCH 305, PSYCH 333, PSYCH 345, or PSYCH 355.
Class description
Starting in about 1980, cognitive and social psychology began a conceptual revolution that has, ever since, been producing widely useful research methods, along with an ever-expanding understanding of how human cognition and behavior function outside the reach of conscious (introspective) awareness. This course surveys the methods and findings of that research. A few of the major topics are implicit memory, subliminal priming, and implicit attitudes.
Student learning goals
Students will gain knowledge of the most important methods used to study implicit and unconscious cognition.
Students will gain knowledge of empirical findings established by these methods.
Students will gain knowledge of major theoretical issues concerning implicit and unconscious cognition.
Students will be challenged to apply their analytic skills to topics that they find especially interesting.
Students will be challenged to propose research that could contribute to answering significant unanswered questions.
General method of instruction
The instructor will lecture on several of the longer-established topics and methods early in the quarter. Later in the quarter, students will have more active roles in class meetings, with opportunities to organize, analyze, synthesize, and present material that they select from a menu of suggested topics. Students should be prepared to spend, on average, at least 4 hours per week outside of class meetings on preparation for class meetings. In some weeks, more time than that will be needed.
Recommended preparation
Some knowledge of statistics is essential in reading the literature for the course topics, Psychology 315 or 317 (min. grade 2.0) is a prerequisite. Because the focus will mostly be on material of psychology, one of the department's relevant 300-level survey courses that covers phenomena relevant to implicit and unconscious cognition, Psychology 303, 305, 335, 345, or 355, is a second prerequisite (min. grade 2.0).
Class assignments and grading
There will be assigned readings each week. Students will have a few assigned presentations during the quarter.
Three closed-book exams, each worth 25% of the course grade will be given, in the 4th, 7th, and 10th weeks. These will be based on material covered in lectures and readings. The remaining 25% will be based on in-class presentations. There will be no final exam.
