50:830:452 Special Topics-Cognition, Neuroscience, and Cinema (Dr. Sean Duffy) Too often, academics gerrymander the sciences and humanities. Occasionally, however, the paths of seemingly disparate fields do cross. For example, film scholars have recently taken note of discoveries in cognitive science; at the same time, scientists, led by their research into cognition and perception, have embraced tenets of philosophy and aesthetics. This course emerges from this fortunate convergence. We begin with the idea that one field of study can enrich the other, and with a firm conviction that everyone likes a good film. Throughout this course, we will use cognitive science and neuroscience to shed light on our experiences of film; at the same time, we will use film studies to raise important questions about the nature of perception, cognition, and consciousness. Our topics include models of cognitive science (top-down and bottom-up), theory of mind, mirror neurons, affect, touch, the limbic system, attention, memory, psychopathology, and disabilities.
50:830:457-Special Topics-Drugs and Well-Being (Professor Doug Zacher) Description: This is a special topics course that focuses on how drug use, policy, and treatment interact and affect our well-being. We will focus on psychological definitions and concepts related to what “well-being” means and how we can measure it as social scientists. We will also discuss a wide range of perspectives on drug use, ranging from substance use treatments to neuroscience to policy, as it ties into these issues and interacts to affect our well-being.
