The Cognitive Science Track draws students from all majors who are interested in an interdisciplinary exploration of how the mind works. Students explore connections between Philosophy, Psychology, Artificial Intelligence, Linguistics, Neuroscience, and Anthropology. How does the track operate? The core requirements of the track include 15 credits. Nine of these credits are from three courses and the remaining six credits are applied to a two-semester thesis project (see description below). Upon completion of the thesis project, students present their research findings in a public forum. The Track is Ideal For: Majors in psychology, anthropology, biology, computer science, and philosophy, with a minimum 3.25 GPA Students who enjoy small classes and individual attention from faculty members Students who desire practical research experience Students who are preparing for graduate studies Curriculum: Cognitive Science: The Interdisciplinary Study of the Mind (CGSI 2000) Cognitive Science is an interdisciplinary study of the mind/brain. Students will gain an understanding of how the different constituent areas (Psychology, Anthropology, Neuroscience, Philosophy, and Linguistics) are the rich foundation of Cognitive Science by directly interacting with the experts in those fields. This will provide the student with an overview of the field of Cognitive Science and the general methodologies used within those fields. Prerequisites: PSY 1100, PHIL 1100, and any Biology Course Selected Topics in Cognitive Science (CGSI 3000) In this course, we will examine basic concepts and problems found in several of the disciplines that make up cognitive science. We will begin with a historical overview, a review of brain anatomy and physiology, and explore the impact of the computer metaphor in cognitive science. We will then explore some of the issues within Cognitive Science in depth. Topics will range from theories on how we construct our visual world, to the representation of the self. Prerequisite: CGSI 2000 Cognitive Psychology (PSY 3750) This course critically examines people’s information-processing capabilities and limitations. Emphasis is placed on the theoretical principles that underlie the attention, perception, and memory of events as well as current research problems. Prerequisite: PSY 2030 (recommended) Cognitive Science Honors Thesis I (CGSI 4010) This is a research-based course. Although students will have already been exposed to one research methods course prior to the thesis course, an overview of the logic of research and the methodology will be presented. Research methods open to the students include: computer modeling and simulations, experimental and quasi-experimental designs, qualitative research methodologies, discourse analysis, and thinking out loud protocols. The ‘how to’ of research will be explored in detail. Students, in consultation with faculty, will select a topic for their research project. The exploration of the research topic will be the primary focus of the course. Formal oral and written presentation of the research proposal will be completed. Prerequisite: CGSI 3000 Cognitive Science Honors Thesis II (CGSI 4020) This is the second component to the Cognitive Science Honors Thesis. Students will have already selected a research topic for their thesis, and the literature review will have been completed. The focus of this component of the thesis will be on data collection and analysis, and finally on the oral and written presentation of the students’ research. Prerequisite: CGSI 4010 Course sequence for Cognitive Science Track Fall Semester Spring Semester 1st year None None 2nd year (Sophomore) None None or PSY 3750 3rd year (Junior) CGSI 2000 and PSY 3750, if not completed before CGSI 3000 4th year (Senior) CGSI 4010 CGSI 4020 What projects have students completed in the past? Students in the Cognitive Science Track have produced the following theses: Bryan Barbaran, Exploring Daily Reflections: An Investigation into the Impact of Personal Statements, 2024 Bernard Belar, Police Interaction Effects on Attitudes Towards Police Among College Students, 2024 Viki Delaney, The Female Perspective, 2024 Nicole Kahwaty, Bilinguals Versus Monolinguals, 2024 Hailey Krajewski, Emotion Words Have Color, Induced Emotions Do Not, 2024 Callista Long, Athlete Mental Health After Injury, 2024 Jessica Momanyi, Effects of the COVID-10 Pandemic on University Music Students and Faculty, 2024 Laurel Ovbiye, Culture Shock and Impressions about America Culture on International students, 2024 Justina Saad, Parental Accessibility of Special Education and Autism Resources on Public School Websites, 2024 Kourtney Scipio, Understanding Speech: Is there a lack of knowledge and good communication skills when it comes to communicating with patients with aphasia in healthcare settings?, 2024 Anna Segelken, Influence of weekly book club participation on the reading abilities and enjoyment of aphasia clients, 2024 Skylar Wazinski, Motivations of Undergraduate Speech-Language Pathology Students, 2024 Angel Aguilar, Does Making, Looking, or Reading About artwork Work Better for Reducing Anxiety?, 2023 Isabela Alvarez, The Impact of Childhood Emotional Neglect on Adulthood and the Next Generation, 2023 Mary Leanne Castillo, Ranking, GRE, and Diversity Support: What Affects Minority Undergraduates Choices of Health Sciences Graduate Programs?, 2023 Benjamin Chervinsky, Past Athleticism and Physical Activity's Effects on Self-Esteem in Elderly, 2023 Samantha Corallo, In Your Own Words: A Qualitative Study of William Paterson University Student-Athletes Menthal Health Needs, 2023 Danielle-Gail Cruz, Speech Impediments and Accessibility to Treatment: A Global Overview, 2023 Tara Dixon, Sub-Clinical Autistic Traits Correlation to Imitation Tasks, 2023 Antonella Fernandini, Behavior of Students with Speech Language Impairments (SLI) (Grades 1-3), 2023 Sophie Gritsch, "I'm not just weird": Impressions of late Autism Diagnoses in Women, 2023 Brendon Lee, Stress Level Betwen First-Generation and Continuing College Students, 2023 Jennie Lee, The Mediating Roles of Working Memory and Self-Efficacy in Relation to Math Anxiety and Math Performance, 2023 Hannah Mele, The Effect of Instructor Fluency and Video-Audio Usage on Students' Perceptions of the Instructor and Learning Outcomes, 2023 Claudia Rento, How Variations in Age-Based Cognition Exhibit Receptiveness to Multiple Perspectives of the Mind, 2023 Heather Stauffacher, Effects of Breakfast on Cognitive Function, 2023 How do I enroll? To enroll in the Cognitive Science Honors Track, contact the Director, Dr. Amy Learmonth, at (973) 720-3657 or at learmontha@wpunj.edu. You could also contact Jan Pinkston at (973) 720-3776 or at pinkstonj@wpunj.edu. A completed track application must also be submitted to the Honors College. About the Track Director: Dr. Learmonth is a developmental psychologist with a research focus on the development of memory and spatial ability. Most of her research is with infants and young children, using techniques such as deferred imitation and search tasks (both real world and virtual) to examine the changes in memory and spatial ability over the first six years. Her specific research is currently on the development of long-term memory in infants and the use of landmarks and geometric features in spatial memory and navigation. She is also currently working on a project that will look at early spatial competence and memory binding as a window into infantile amnesia. Recent publications by Dr. Learmonth have appeared in Developmental Psychobiology, Psychological Science, Memory and Cognition, and the Journal of Experimental Child Psychology.
