Students of the Dutch bachelor’s programme, see Bewustzijn
Entry requirements
None
Description
Consciousness is one of the greatest mysteries in science and is central to the study of psychology. This course introduces students to the major theories about and scientific research on consciousness. We address questions such as: What is consciousness? Can the mind exist independent from the body? Is free will an illusion? Do animals or computers have consciousness? What happens during a near-death experience? What are the pros and cons of meditation? And: Can psychedelics help to treat depression and addiction? During workgroup meetings, sub-topics from the course are covered and students learn to use arguments for or against a particular thesis. These meetings will help the student with analytical thinking, reasoning/argumentation, reporting and evaluating, providing professional feedback on the work of peers, and incorporating feedback into their own work.
Course objectives
**Application of knowledge and understanding (academic skills):
The student knows the various definitions, theories, and research methods used in the field of consciousness research.
The student is able to apply and integrate this knowledge when analyzing a problem statement and for providing an argument.
Upon completion of the course, the student is able to provide a critical evaluation of an empirical scientific study about consciousness.
**General Professional Skills:
The student will learn to communicate academically in written form.
The student will learn to provide and process peer feedback.
The student will learn to communicate and verbally discuss scientific arguments.
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. The exception here is that first-year bachelor students are assigned and registered for all components in the first semester or academic year by the administration of their bachelor programme. The programme will communicate to these students for which course components and for which period the registration applies.
Exams
You must register for each exam in My Studymap at least 10 days before the exam date. Don’t forget! For more information, see the enrolment procedure.
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.
Students who take this course as part of a LDE minor or a premaster programme, exchange students and external guest students will be informed by the education administration about the current registration procedure.
Mode of instruction
7 lectures of 2 hours each
3 compulsory working group sessions in Dutch or English
1 optional writing session
The first working group session is a plenary meeting for each topic, and the second and third sessions will take place in small groups (15-20 students). During these meetings, the student delves into a specific topic, discussing the topic with the instructor and peer students. In a fourth, optional meeting, students can work on their written assignment, and instructors will give students individual help with this. The specific deadlines for the assignments will be published on Brightspace. Please note that attendance is mandatory for 3 of the 4 meetings; the writing workshop is mandatory if you missed one of the 3 workgroup session.
Assessment method
Fulfilling the course requirements involves passing an exam and passing written assignments. The exam material consists of the book (selection of chapters) and lecture material.
The grades for the exam and the workgroup assignment will be counted in a ratio of 60:40 respectively for the final grade of the course.
For this course, attendance is mandatory for 3 of the 4 workgroup meetings, otherwise the workgroup assignment will not be graded, and a resit is required for the workgroup attendance and assignment during the following year. The optional writing workshop is mandatory if you missed one of the 3 compulsory workgroup session.
The Institute of Psychology uses fixed rules for grade calculation and compulsory attendance. It also 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 these three policies.
The date, time and location of the exam and the resit will be announced during the course.
Reading list
As of the academic year 2023/24 a new course book will be used. The book by Blackmore will no longer be valid for this course.
Harley, T. A. (2021). The science of consciousness. Cambridge University Press.
Contact information
Dr. M. van Elk (Overall Coordinator and coordinator of lectures and exam) and Dr. Z. Sjoerds (Coördinator work groups / workgroup assignment) can be contacted via ConsciousnessPsy@fsw.leidenuniv.nl