Prospectus

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Experimentation II: Neuroscientific Research Methods

Course
2024-2025

Entry requirements

Only open to MSc Psychology (research) students

Description

In this course, students will get an introduction into various neuroscientific methods (e.g. EEG, fMRI, TMS, Heart rate). Additionally, we will reflect critically on neuroscientific research in general: What kind of research questions are suitable for neuroscientific methods? What is the nature of the knowledge that we can, in principle get from this type of research? In the practical part of the course, we will acquire hands-on experience in collecting and analysing EEG/ERP data.This course provides the students with basic theoretical and practical neuroscientific skills as required for a research career.

Course objectives

At the end of this course, student:

  • have knowledge of the properties, possibilities, strengths and limitations of the most commonly used neuroscientific research methods;

  • are able to use this knowledge to understand and assess literature in cognitive neuroscience;

  • are able to design a neuroscientific research project

  • are able to collect data using EEG;

  • can perform basic analyses of EEG data.

Timetable

For the timetable of this course please refer to MyTimetable

Registration

Education

Students must register themselves for all course components (lectures, tutorials and practicals) they wish to follow. You can register up to 5 days prior to the start of the course.

Exams

You must register for each exam in My Studymap at least 10 days before the exam date. You cannot take an exam without a valid registration in My Studymap. Carefully read all information about the procedures and deadlines for registering for courses and exams.

Exchange students and external guest students will be informed by the education administration about the current registration procedure.

Mode of instruction

7 2-hour lectures
2 2-hour practical assignments

Attendance at the practicals is mandatory. See Brightspace for more information.

For practical assignments, students are assigned to sub groups. Every student will follow two EEG data acquisition trainings and 2 EEG/ERP data analysis trainings.

Assessment method

The assessment is based on a written exam (50% multiple choice, 50% open questions) based on the mandatory literature and lecture slides, and a group assignment (project proposal presentation, 20%) in which a project is presented in which a neuroscientific research method is applied to the student’s field of specialisation.

The Institute of Psychology follows the policy of the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences to systematically check student papers for plagiarism with the help of software. All students are required to take and pass the Scientific Integrity Test with a score of 100% in order to learn about the practice of integrity in scientific writing. Students are given access to the quiz via a module on Brightspace. Disciplinary measures will be taken when fraud is detected. Students are expected to be familiar with and understand the implications of this fraud policy.

Reading list

Syllabus for the master course Experimentation 2: Neuroscientific research methods. Will be available through Blackboard. Powerpoint slides for the course. Examples of other mandatory literature:

Chatham, C H, Badre, D (2019) ‘How to Test Cognitive Theory with fMRI’ in New Methods in Cognitive Psychology, 1st Edition Imprint Routledge

Coltheart ‘What has functional neuroimaging told us about the mind (so far)?’(2005) European Cognitive Neuropsychology Workshop, Bressanone.

Gina M. Grimshaw & Michael C. Philipp (2021) Bodies in mind: using peripheral psychophysiology to probe emotional and social processes. Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand

Haynes, J.D. (2015) A Primer on Pattern-Based Approaches to fMRI: Principles, Pitfalls, and Perspectives, Neuron, Volume 87, Issue 2, Pages 257-270

Poldrack, R.A. (2012) The future of fMRI in Cognitive Neuroscience, NeuroImage 62 (2012) 1216–1220

Schurger, Sitt, and Dehaene, (2012) “An Accumulator Model for Spontaneous Neural Activity Prior to Self-Initiated Movement.”Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 109-42, E2904-E2913

Walsh, V, Cowey, MS (2000) Transcranial magnetic stimulation and cognitive neuroscience, Nature Reviews Neuroscience 1, 73-80

Woodman, G.F. (2010). A brief introduction to the use of event-related potentials in studies of perception and attention. Attention, perception, & psychophysics, 72, 2031-2046

Contact information

Dr. S. Uithol s.uithol@fsw.leidenuniv.nl