42412 - Psychology of the Memory (1)

Course contents

The course will focus on the following topics: Interrelationships between learning and memory; memory processes; Memory systems; Working memory; Autobiographic memory Semantic memory: traditional view  Semantic memory: embodied perspective; Memory and categorization; Kinds of concepts: artefacts and natural objects, living and non living; Concepts of artefacts and tools; Hierarchical levels of categorization;  Social and institutional concepts;  Category specific deficits; Abstract concepts: theories;  Concepts and cultures; Concepts, language and languages

Readings/Bibliography

Program for students who follow the course: Chapters:
1)Job R., Cubelli R. (a cura di) PSICOLOGIA DEI PROCESSI COGNITIVI, Roma: Carocci, 2012 (Capitolo 5) 2) Borghi, A.M. (2002). Concetti e azione. In Borghi, A.M. & Iachini, T. (eds.). Scienze della mente. Bologna: Il Mulino, pp. 203-222 (preprint scaricabile dalla pagina web http://laral.istc.cnr.it/borghi/publications.htm)
3) Borghi, A.M., Binkofski, F. (2014). Words as social tools: An embodied view on abstract concepts. Berlin/New York: Springer (Capitolo 3). 
At least one English paper among the following ones (all can be downloaded from google scholar)
Gallese V, Lakoff G. (2005). The brain's concepts: the role of the sensory-motor system in conceptual knowledge. Cogn. Neuropsychol. 22:455– Barsalou, L.W. (2003).  Situated simulation in the human conceptual system.Language and Cognitive Processes, 18, 513-562.[Reprinted in H. Moss & J. Hampton,Conceptual representation (pp. 513-566). East Sussex, UK: Psychology Press.]
Prinz, J.J. (2005). The return of concept empiricism. Handbook of categorization in cognitive science, 679-699.
For students who do not follow the course: not only the 3 chapters and the English paper, but also one book chosen among the following ones: 1) Vannucci M. QUANDO LA MEMORIA CI INGANNA: LA PSICOLOGIA DELLE FALSE MEMORIE, Roma: Carocci, 2008.  2) Di Domenico A., Mammarella N. La memoria autobiografica. Roma: Carocci, 2012. 

Teaching methods

- Lectures - exercises on experimental method - presentation of students' essays and discussion

Assessment methods

For students who will follow the course:

The exam will consist in the writing and presentation of a group work, which will be discussed during the last lectures. 

For students who will not follow the course:

The exam will consist in an oral discussion.

Teaching tools

The pdf files with the slides will be published after one week from the presentation in class on Anna Borghi's personal web site,  http://laral.istc.cnr.it/borghi/.

Office hours

See the website of Anna Maria Borghi