V. Kandinsky, Composition viii (1923)

Course Description, Grading, and Ethics
Course Schedule
Additional Readings

Text: Goldstein, E. B. (2010). Sensation and Perception (8th Edition). Belmont, CA: Thomson Wadsworth.

Course Description

We will look at behavior (how does an outfielder catch a fly ball?) and neurophysiological evidence (what parts of the brain are most active when we view a spot of red light?) We will explore the anatomical structure of the various sensory systems (how is light transformed into a neural signal within the eye?); the functional architecture of the perceptual parts of the human brain; psychophysics (the quantitative measurement of perceptual experience); form, depth, and motion perception; color vision; visual attention; perceptual memory; auditory perception, and the senses of touch, taste, and smell. We'll also talk about conscious awareness.

Exams and Grading

Readings will come from the text and from a few additional readings. You should do all the readings, because the lectures are meant to supplement and expand on the readings, and not replace them. You should come to lectures, because the lectures will contain material not in the readings that will appear on the quizzes and exams. Your grade will depend on your performance on weely quizzes and three examinations.

Quizzes

There will be nine brief quizzes given in weeks without exams. Your final quiz score will be based on your top seven quiz scores. There will be no makeup quizzes for any reason. The quizzes will include both multiple choice and short answer questions.

Exams

There will be two midterm exams lasting 50 minutes and one final exam lasting two hours and scheduled for the final exam period for this class. The exams are cumulative and can include questions from any part of the course. The exams will have both multiple-choice and essay questions. I will provide study questions before each exam; some of these study questions will appear on the exam, so it is well worth your time to prepare answers to these questions. The exams are closed book and closed notes.

There will be no makeup exams. If you miss an exam due to a documented illness or injury, then you will be required to write a 10-15 page paper to make up the exam. If you do miss an exam, contact me as soon as possible after the missed exam, with the documentation concerning your absence. You must contact me no later than one week after the missed exam.

Grades

Your final score will be based on your performance on your top 7 quizzes (30%), the two midterm exams (20% each), and the final exam (30%).

A final weighted total that is less than 50% of the highest possible score will result in a failure. It will not be possible to raise your grade at the end of the term by writing a paper or carrying out some other additional work. There is no "senior option" in this course.

Research Experience for Extra Credit

It will be possible to earn extra credit for participating in psychology experiments during the term. The purpose of these experiences is to help you understand how psychological research is carried out. You earn one percentage point toward your final grade for each research experience unit you earn, up to a limit of one-half letter grade increase (e.g., from B to B+). If you earn four research experience credits, you are guaranteed a one-half letter grade increase.

Go to the Research Participation Website and click on read.me to learn how to sign up for experiments.

Academic Ethics

The Johns Hopkins University has adopted policies concerning academic ethics and the consequences of cheating.

Cheating is wrong. Cheating hurts our community by undermining academic integrity, creating mistrust, and fostering unfair competition. The University will punish cheaters with failure on an assignment, failure in a course, permanent transcript notation, suspension, and/or expulsion. Offenses may be reported to medical, law or other professional or graduate schools when a cheater applies.

Violations can include cheating on exams, plagiarism, reuse of assignments without permission, improper use of the Internet and electronic devices, unauthorized collaboration, alteration of graded assignments, forgery and falsification, lying, facilitating academic dishonesty, and unfair competition. Ignorance of these rules is not an excuse.

You may collaborate with other students when you are studying, reviewing lectures, and readings, etc. You may not collaborate on your examinations or written assignments. If you have questions about this policy, please ask the instructor.

On every exam, you will sign the following pledge: "I agree to complete this exam without unauthorized assistance from any person, materials or device. [Signed and dated]"

For more information, see the guide on "Academic Ethics for Undergraduates" and the Ethics Board web site

Course Schedule

*For readings designated Gx, the x stands for a chapter in Goldstein. (See bibliography below).

Note: This schedule is subject to change.

Additional Readings

Coltheart, M. (2002). Cognitive Neuropsychology (**NOTE. pp. 139-155 ONLY**). In J. Wixted and H. Pashler, Stevens' Handbook of Experimental Psychology, 3rd Edition (Vol. 4: Methodololgy in Experimental Psychology). New York: Wiley.
This chapter outlines the logic of cognitive neuropsychology--that is, inferring the functions of the brain from patterns of impaired performance inbrain-damaged patients.

Cornsweet, T. (1970). Visual Perception. New York: Academic Press. Chapter II: The Experiment of Hecht, Schlaer, and Pirenne.
This chapter provides a detailed description of a classic psychophysical experiment that answered this foundational question: How many photons of light are required to produce a sensation of seeing?

Op de Beeck HP, Haushofer J, Kanwisher NG. (2008). Interpreting fMRI data: maps, modules and dimensions. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 9, 123-135.
A review of recent studies that use functional magnetic resonance imaging to reveal how the brain processes and represents visual information.

McDermott, J.H. & Oxenham, A.J. (2008). Music perception, pitch, and the auditory system. Current Opinion in Neurobiology, 18, 452–463.
A recent summary of research on the psychology and neuroscience of music perception.