Prospectus

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Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience

Course
2016-2017

Entry requirements

Only open to MSc Psychology (research) students

Description

Developmental cognitive neuroscience investigates the relations between brain development and cognitive, affective and Developmental cognitive neuroscience investigates the relations between brain development and cognitive, affective and social development. This class will therefore cover the biological bases of cognitive, affective, and social functioning from a developmental perspective, focusing on childhood and adolescence.

Fundamental questions that will be covered include: How does brain development, including changes in function, morphology, and connectivity, relate to typical and atypical development of cognitive and affective functions, such as learning, memory, motivation and decision-making? How do changes in social skills (theory of mind, social cognition) and environment (peer pressure) relate to underlying neurodevelopmental changes?

Course objectives

Explore relevant theoretical debates in developmental science and neuroscience methods used to address the relevant questions in this field. Consideration of the major methods of developmental cognitive neuroscience including functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), recordings of evoked response potentials (ERPs), and behavioral marker tasks. We will devote particular attention to the unique challenges of applying these methods to the study of children and adolescents.
Other course objectives are: preparing a group presentations, leading a group discussion, and write a research proposal on the topic of developmental cognitive neuroscience

Timetable

For the timetables of your lectures, work groups and exams, please select your study programme in:
Psychology timetables

Lectures

Registration

Course

Students need to enroll for lectures and work group sessions.
Master’s course registration

Examination

Students are not automatically enrolled for an examination. They can register via uSis from 100 to 10 calendar days before the date. Students who are not registered will not be permitted to take the examination.
Registering for exams

Mode of instruction

Class sessions will usually consist of a lecture period followed by a group discussion of the week’s readings. To facilitate discussion, students should prepare questions that arose for them while reading the week’s material.

In addition to weekly lectures and discussion questions, students will present their research proposal, provide feedback to each other, and write a major research proposal as a final assignment.

Assessment method

The assessment for this course is based on:
(1) Leading and participation of a group-discussion
(2) Giving a research presentation
(3) Writing a research proposal

The Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences has instituted that instructors use a software programme for the systematic detection of plagiarism in students’ written work. In case of fraud disciplinary actions will be taken. Please see the information concerning fraud.

Reading list

All readings (journal articles) will be made available for download on the course blackboard website in pdf format.

Exemplary literature list Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience:

  • Johnson, M.H (2011). Interactive Specialization: A domain-general framework for human functional brain development? Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, 1, 7-21

  • Casey, B.J. (2015). Beyond simple models of self-control to circuit-based accounts of adolescent behavior. Annual Review of Neuroscience, 66, 295-319.

  • Blakemore, S.J. & Mills, K.L (2014). Is Adolescence a Sensitive Period for Sociocultural Processing? Annual Review of Psychology, 65, 187-207.

Contact information

Dr. Anna van Duijvenvoorde
a.c.k.van.duijvenvoorde@fsw.leidenuniv.nl