ENROLL

Julie J Neiworth

This capstone seminar will cover current approaches and techniques in the field of neuroscience. Guest speakers in neuroscience and related areas will present their research.

Prerequisite: Biology 125, Neuroscience 127, Neuroscience 238 & 239, open only to seniors

1st 5 weeks

Julie J Neiworth

Recent findings have brought to light some very compelling examples of humanlike cognition in nonhuman primates: tool use and tool making, family bonding, complex social behaviors such as cooperation, altruism, communication, and emotion. The study of infant cognition has also revealed more complex cognitive abilities in developing humans. Each of these topics is considered in the context of the cognitive workings of the primate mind, with emphasis on apes (gorilla, chimpanzee), monkeys (particularly cebus and rhesus varieties) and human children. The goal is to evaluate the uniqueness of primate cognition, both human and nonhuman.

Prerequisite: Psychology 110 or Biology 126 or Psychology 216 or instructor permission

Julie J Neiworth

Students independently revise and extend the fall term paper, integrating the feedback from their faculty advisor.  Based on this work, students submit a final comps paper (approx. 20 pages) that makes original contributions to the field of psychology through critiquing existing psychology primary sources, applying empirically-supported psychological theories to new questions, generating potential applied guidelines, and/or proposing new theories or empirical studies based on published theories and empirical research.

Prerequisite: Psychology 399