HPS203 Notes on Human Mind

Summary:

The HPS203 Notes on Human Mind provide a comprehensive overview of various topics related to cognitive psychology. In Week 1, the focus is on the introduction to the human mind and the process of object recognition. Week 2 explores the concept of attention and its role in cognitive processes. Working memory takes centre stage in Week 3, highlighting its significance in information processing and cognitive tasks. The importance of context in shaping our perceptions and cognitive processes is discussed in Week 4. Week 5 delves into the intricacies of remembering complex events and the factors that influence our memory retrieval. Concepts, their formation, and their role in cognition are covered in Week 6. Visual knowledge and how it is acquired and utilized are the key themes of Week 7. Week 8 explores judgement and reasoning, examining how we make decisions and draw conclusions. Problem-solving and intelligence are the focus of Week 9, shedding light on cognitive processes involved in finding solutions. Finally, Week 10 delves into the realm of the cognitive unconscious, exploring the subconscious processes that shape our thoughts and behaviours. These weekly notes provide a comprehensive understanding of the human mind and its cognitive mechanisms.

Excerpt:

HPS203 Notes on Human Mind

HPS203 weeks 1-10
Week 1 – introduction and object recognition
TOPIC 1 – The cognitive revolution

1. What is introspection, and who uses it to study mental processes?
   1. Looking at an image and expressing the thoughts and emotions that arise in you in response.
   2. Wilhelm Hunt used it to study mental processes in the 1800s
   3. In 1879 he set up the first psychological experiment lab and studied conscious mental events (e.g. feelings, thoughts and perceptions).
   4. They asked people what they were experiencing. They trained people on introspection and asked them to report their experiences.
2. What are the two main problems with introspection?
   1. a lot of our mental activity occurs unconsciously, which, therefore, can’t be tapped into using introspection, which focuses on conscious processes.
   2. how people experience different events and what they report varies from person to person.
   3. Introspection is too subjective. It is not a technique that is commonly relied on in cognitive psychology.