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COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND PERFORMANCE Course Sheet Academic Year of enrolment:
Disciplinary Sector:
Psychobiology and Physiological Psychology
Professor and Collaborators:
Hours of classroom activity:
Prerequisites:
Previous knowledge on basic theories in cognitive neuroscience.
Lectures 48 hours. 2-3 hours twice a week. Hands-on seminars. Work groups and discussions will be strongly encouraged. Attendance is not compulsory, but highly recommended.
Objectives
Contents The course aims to present cognitive neuroscience in their applicative dimension, far from the laboratory and useful for solving real-world problems. In this regard, the historical coordinates that define cognitive (and affective) neuroscience in their now 'classic' declinations will be briefly presented. Subsequently, ample space will be given to the description of the main techniques and methodologies of cognitive neuroscience that have expressed a relevant application potential, in the awareness that these techniques can form the basis for further future applications not yet explored. The main areas of concrete intervention will then be dealt with in which the theoretical foundations and methodological opportunities of cognitive and affective neuroscience have already constituted a fertile ground for applications and solutions to problems related to the clinical dimension (e.g. neuropsychology), well-being (e.g. eg ergonomics and design) and human performance (eg sports, education, forensics). Finally, the possible emerging and 'frontier' areas will be treated, in which it is possible to foresee an applicative fallout in the near future (eg neuromimetic design, smart interfaces).
Extended Syllabus History and geography of cognitive neuroscience
EEG and MEG; fMRI; Optical and acoustic imaging; Psychophysiology; Behavioral tools; Computational neuroscience; Neuromodulation; Neurofeedback
Clinical Neuropsychology and Neurology; Injury mapping; Neuromodulation; Pharmacology and Neuropsychiatric Disorders; Sport neuroscience; Forensic neuroscience; Neuroscience of education; Neuroeconomics and neuromarketing; Neuro-ergonomics and design; Brain-computer interfaces; Psychotherapy; Virtual reality
Frontiers of biomimetic design; Real-world cases
Recommended Bibliography Laura A. Freberg (2022). “An Introduction to Applied Behavioral Neuroscience - Biological Psychology in Everyday Life” (Routledge)
Teaching Methods Lectures 48 hours. 2-3 hours twice a week. Hands-on seminars. Work groups and discussions will be strongly encouraged. Attendance is not compulsory, but highly recommended.
Evaluation methods Verification of learning:
The exam aims at verifying the acquisition of the knowledge on the topics presented during the course.
The final exam is in written form. Students will be asked to prepare an individual essay on specific topics. This work will be evaluated on criteria such as the deeply understanding of the contents of the course, the ability to make connections among them and the originality of the work.
Students will be also asked to prepare a group presentation on a specific topic during the course. This work will be evaluated, and it will contribute to the final mark.
For the individual essay, students will receive max 20 points.
For the group presentation, students will receive 10 points.
Scoring is graduated as follow:
0-4 (0-2 for the presentation) markedly inadequate, evident misunderstanding, lack of critical comprehension, or content off-topic
5-8 (3-4 for the presentation) not fully adequate; imprecisions, surface exam and description of the contents, lack of critical comprehension
9-12 (5-6 for the presentation) sufficiently clear and understandable to the audience; there are elements that denote critical deepening of the contents, albeit not fully evident
13-16 (7-8 for the presentation) very clear, lexicon is specific to the topic, evidence is clearly understood and described, and critical comprehension is evident; some of these aspects, however, is present but not fully achieved
17-20 (9-10 for the presentation) fully meet the requirements as it concerns clarity, lexicon specificity, understanding and explanation of evidence; critical exam of limits and implications of the study goes beyond information explicitly reported in the article.
Contacts/More Information It is recommended to visit the e-learning page of the module regularly. The e-learning page will be used to upload lecture’s slides, additional readings and exam samples.