Introduction to Language in the Mind and Brain 2500-EN-CS-L-03
The course draws on Experimental Psychology, Linguistics, and Cognitive Neuroscience to help students appreciate the cognitive mechanisms underlying language. How is word meaning represented in the mind? Why is acquiring language in adulthood harder than in childhood? Why do we make speech errors? What is the pattern of language breakdown in dementia or after a stroke? What are the effects of having two languages in one mind? These are examples of debates that will be discussed.
During the course, students learn how the methods used to address these questions have developed over time and what state-of-the-art methods are in the field. They also learn about the opportunities offered by recent advances in neuroimaging.
Topics of the classes:
• How to think scientifically?
• Does language shape thought?
• How does language develop in the child and world?
• How do we perceive language?
• What steps do we need to produce language?
• How does the brain represent meaning?
• What are the consequences of bilingualism?
Learning outcomes
By the end of the course, students should be able to:
• formulate and justify their opinions on several enduring debates in psycholinguistics (K_W01, K_W02)
• conduct an in-depth literature overview (K_W01, K_W02, K_U08)
• interpret empirical findings (K_U03, K_U04)
Assessment criteria
a) Assessment methods exam and class participation
b) Components of the final grade and their weights exam about the reading and class materials 80%; class participation, exercises, and activities 20%
c) Grading scale
(e.g., over 50%: 3
over 60%: 3+
over 70%: 4,
over 80%: 4+
over 90%: 5)
d) Requirements for retaking the assessment no retake possible for class participation
e) Exams in the exam session
i) Requirements for taking the exam presence during the classes – no more than one absence
ii) Possibility (and requirements) for retaking the exam in case of a positive grade exam cannot be retaken in case of a positive grade; NB: exams can be retaken if failed, enough presence during classes and a positive grade for class participation
iii) Early Exam Session (“Zerówka”) not applicable
Attendance rules:
No more than 1 class can be missed with an acceptable excuse; missing more classes or having absences without excuses is equivalent to failure of the course.
Additional information
Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system: