Universitat Internacional de Catalunya
Attention and Perception
Other languages of instruction: Catalan, English
Teaching staff
Appointments should be requested by email.
Introduction
The subject of Perception and Attention aims to provide future psychologists with the necessary knowledge about how human beings construct representations of the outside world and select the relevant information. The understanding of the functioning of the perception and attention mechanisms allows the psychologist detecting and identifying disorders involving these mechanisms that have a psychopathological origin
Pre-course requirements
Objectives
- To understand the fundamental mechanisms of perception and attention.
- To acquire the terminology related to the processes of perception and attention.
- To know the existing models and theories about perception and attention.
- To learn the different psychopathological disorders related to perception and attention.
- To become familiar with experimental methodologies and procedures used for the scientific study of perception and attention.
Competences/Learning outcomes of the degree programme
- CE09 - The ability to identify the biological basis of the functions of Psychology and human behaviour, with an understanding of how they work and their influence on other aspects of a person.
- CE13 - The ability to recognise the functions, characteristics, benefits and limitations of the various theoretical models and/or schools of psychological thought.
- CE14 - The ability to recognise the basis of normal and altered human behaviour.
- CE18 - The ability to identify the structures and processes involved in basic psychological functions and recognise the nature of individual differences.
Learning outcomes of the subject
At the end of the course, the students should be able to:
- Understand that perception and attention processes are the first step to acquiring information about the environment.
- Use rigorously the terminology related to perception and attention processes.
- Identify the theoretical approaches to perception and attention.
- Describe the physical properties of visual and auditory stimuli.
- List and describe the laws of perception.
- Explain the phenomenon of categorical perception of speech.
- Understand the function of consciousness.
- Describe the functions of sleep and its phases.
- Know how to identify psychopathological disorders involving perception, attention, state of consciousness and sleep.
- Know the neuroanatomical basis of sensation, perception and attention.
Syllabus
Block 1: Perception
- Unit 1: Conciousness: wakefulness and sleep.
- Unit 2: Sensation and perception.
- Unit 3: Vision and visual Perception.
- Unit 4: Hearing and auditory perception.
- Unit 5: The cutaneous senses.
- Unit 6: The chemical senses (olfaction and taste) and Perception of flavor.
- Unit 7: Perception during interacting with the world.
Block 2: Attention
- Unit 8: Introduction to attention and types of attention.
- Unit 9: The study of attention.
- Unit 10: Attention models and theories.
- Unit 11: Automatic and controlled processes.
- Unit 12: Attentional networks.
Teaching and learning activities
In person
The methodology used in this course combines lectures and seminars. The course requires students to work individually and independently, and in small groups.
During the lectures the teacher presents the contents of the course to the students. The objective of the lectures is that the students become familiar with the basic theoretical concepts of the discipline and the terminology of the area. In addition, students will know the most relevant theoretical proposals and their criticisms which will provide them with a general overview of the current knowledge about the discipline. During the classes, the students will also become familiar with the techniques and experimental results that have led to support or reject the different theoretical approaches.
The seminars consist of presentations by small groups of students of scientific articles related to the contents of the classes. These presentations will lead to a debate among all the students. The objective of the seminars is that the students, in an autonomous way, deepen in the contents presented in the theoretical classes and to encourage the debate and the generation of questions about the discipline.
| TRAINING ACTIVITY | METHODOLOGY | EVALUATION SYSTEM |
|---|---|---|
| Lectures will be the setting in which students will learn and use the terminology and linguistic structures related to the sphere of study, for the purpose of practising and developing oral and written communication skills and becoming familiar with the literature and instruction materials provided to better integrate the curricular content. Case studies are a learning technique in which the subject is given the description of a specific situation that poses a problem, which must be understood, assessed and resolved by a group of people through discussion. Case studies are generally resolved in groups to promote student participation and develop their critical thinking skills. They also prepare students to make decisions, teaching them how to back up their arguments and contrast them with the opinions of the other group members. The guided reading of texts aims to develop the students’ critical thinking skills, which play a fundamental role in creating citizens who are both aware and responsible. A non-classroom activity in which students undertake exercises autonomously, without the presence of the lecturer/professor. This is the stage in which most questions arise, but, as the option to immediately ask the question does not exist, students are forced to make an additional effort. This is a scenario in which a lecturer, with a small group of students, answers any questions that may surface throughout the learning process. This helps the lecturer detect the elements that are less obvious to students and provide tools to address aspects that do not work correctly. This activity may be done individually or in group. This methodology should not be confused with personal student guidance, which is in addition to the curricular education. | This is the method whereby students work on their own. In each subject, the students will complete assignments that reflect their autonomous learning experience. The students will also prepare themselves for lifelong learning by learning to use educational materials and multimedia resources autonomously. This will be where they learn to self-regulate learning and develop their time management skills. Session in which the lecturer presents and explains the course content. This learning methodology allows for the use of audiovisual methodologies that support the content description. Students may interact and actively participate in this session. Debates and discussion in large and small groups, which help develop the students’ critical thinking and judgement skills. This method encourages participation and initiative, the asking of constructive questions and the presentation of new problems that promote critical thinking. One-on-one relationship between the tutor and student, in which the former answers the latter’s questions and facilitates and provides guidance with regards to the educational process. This model of tutoring or guidance promotes self-reflection and helps the students to improve and develop as people and professionals. Group work promotes the convergence of the students’ ideas, tasks and proposals for the purpose of carrying out a cooperative project based on each student’s inter- and intrapersonal competences. | The students’ active attendance in class reflects their degree of involvement in the form of interest and their interaction with the lecturer and the rest of their classmates. An individual written test that includes the most general and relevant aspects of the subject matter under evaluation. These exams will assess the students’ capacity to listen and understand the main ideas of the course content, as well as their capacity to understand the literature specific to their area of study and use the relevant terminology. On the other hand, the written exams will also assess concepts specific to the degree programme’s various subjects. They will be structured into partial and/or final exams, final exercises, online questionnaires and the analysis of scientific articles. |
Evaluation systems and criteria
In person
Evaluation criteria.
The final grade of the subject is calculated based on:
- Midterm exam: 25%
- Final exam: 45%
- Seminar: 10%
- Participation: 10%
- Activities: 10%
Exams are test type and each question has four alternatives. Each correct answer equals one point, incorrect answers are 0.33 points (random level control) and omissions do not rest.
The seminars consist of 30-minute presentations of the students and 30 minutes of discussion on the subject presented. Each seminar is prepared by a group of students. To prepare the seminars, students will read critically two articles provided by the teacher.
In 1st and 2nd convocation, it is necessary to pass the final exam with a minimum grade of 5 and to obtain a final average note of minimum 5.
The evaluation will always respect the general regulations established in the Degree in Psychology.
If a student repeats the subject, the teacher will decide whether the continuous assessment or a unique assessment based on the final exam.
Bibliography and resources
Fuentes, L., y García, J. (2010). Manual de psicología de la atención. Una perspectiva neurocientífica. Madrid: Síntesis.
Goldstein, B. (1992). Sensación y percepción. Madrid: Debate.
Myers, D. (2011). Psicología. Madrid: Médica Panamericana.
Sacks, O.W. (1997). El hombre que confundió a su mujer con un sombrero.
Evaluation period
- E1 18/01/2023 I3 10:00h
- E2 23/06/2023 I2 12:00h