Outline

Overview

In this unit of study, you will study three of the core topics of Psychology: Perception, Cognition, and Intelligence. Our sensory systems generate our experience of our bodies and what exists in the world. In the perception component, you will learn how our sensory systems influence our ability to act in the world and the conditions and consequences of perceptual errors. The cognition component of the course will focus on the theoretical and methodological issues that arise in how we attend to, remember, think, problem solve, and make decisions, and consider the consequences of how biases and heuristics influence our choices. The intelligence component will explore the historical evolution of the concept of intelligence, issues in its measurement, the relationship to concepts of creativity, emotional intelligence, and the influence of the environment. You will participate in inquiry-led tutorials that will reinforce and expand on concepts in the unit, and develop broad thinking skills to relate evidence to rational arguments and choices that can be applied to any problem solving domain.

Unit details and rules

Unit code	PSYC2016
Academic unit	Psychology Academic Operations
Credit points	6
Prohibitions ?	PSYC2013 or PSYC2014
Prerequisites ?	PSYC1002
Corequisites ?	None
Assumed knowledge ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Bart Anderson, barton.anderson@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s)	Alex Holcombe, alex.holcombe@sydney.edu.au
	Bart Anderson, barton.anderson@sydney.edu.au
	Damian Birney, damian.birney@sydney.edu.au
	Caleb Owens, caleb.owens@sydney.edu.au
	David Alais, david.alais@sydney.edu.au
	Bruce Burns, bruce.burns@sydney.edu.au

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length
Final exam (Record+)	Final exam Short answer and MCQ	50%	Formal exam period	2 hours
Outcomes assessed:
Online task	Cognition Quiz Quiz to assess content of Cognition lectures and tutorials	5%	Week 08	50 minutes
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Research report Written report	35%	Week 09 Due date: 11 Oct 2021 at 23:59 Closing date: 08 Nov 2021	2000 words
Outcomes assessed:
Online task	Perception quiz Quiz to assess the content of Perception lectures and tutorials	5%	Week 10	50 minutes
Outcomes assessed:
Online task	Intelligence quiz Quiz to assess content of Intelligence lectures and tutorials	5%	Week 13	50 minutes
Outcomes assessed:
= hurdle task ? = Type B final exam ?

Assessment summary

Research Report (35%): The 2000-word written research report is an assignment based on a study conducted in the Week 2 Psyc2016 tutorial. The research report is due on Monday, October 11 (Week 9). Standard late penalties apply to all submissions made after the DUE DATE, unless modified by Special Consideration or a DSU Academic Plan.

Quizzes (15%): There will be three quizzes throughout the semester to assess your understanding of the lecture material in the three main topic areas of this course (cognition, perception, and intelligence). There are no special considerations for these quizzes; a missed quiz will result in a mark adjustment.

Final Exam (50%): The Final Exam is a hurdle task and runs during the exam period, which will assess tutorial and lecture content. Exams are never moved forward so ensure you are available for the entire Central Main exam period. A successful application for Special Consideration or Special Arrangements for the Final Exam will result in you being offered a Replacement Exam during the Central exam period. Please note that the structure and content of the Central Main exam and Replacement exam may differ. Any differences will be noted on the announcements page on the Psyc2016 CANVAS site closer to the exam period. Detailed information for each assessment can be found on the Psyc2016 Canvas site.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a high distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name	Mark range	Description
High distinction	85 - 100	At HD level, a student demonstrates a flair for the subject as well as a detailed and comprehensive understanding of the unit material. A ‘High Distinction’ reflects exceptional achievement and is awarded to a student who demonstrates the ability to apply their subject knowledge and understanding to produce original solutions for novel or highly complex problems and/or comprehensive critical discussions of theoretical concepts.
Distinction	75 - 84	At DI level, a student demonstrates an aptitude for the subject and a well-developed understanding of the unit material. A ‘Distinction’ reflects excellent achievement and is awarded to a student who demonstrates an ability to apply their subject knowledge and understanding of the subject to produce good solutions for challenging problems and/or a reasonably well-developed critical analysis of theoretical concepts.
Credit	65 - 74	At CR level, a student demonstrates a good command and knowledge of the unit material. A ‘Credit’ reflects solid achievement and is awarded to a student who has a broad general understanding of the unit material and can solve routine problems and/or identify and superficially discuss theoretical concepts.
Pass	50 - 64	At PS level, a student demonstrates proficiency in the unit material. A ‘Pass’ reflects satisfactory achievement and is awarded to a student who has threshold knowledge.
Fail	0 - 49	When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see sydney.edu.au/students/guide-to-grades.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

You may only use artificial intelligence and writing assistance tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator, and if you do use them, you must also acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section.

Studiosity is permitted for postgraduate units unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission.

Learning support

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Week 01	Theories and methods in cognitive psychology	Lecture (1 hr)
	Memory systems and processes 1	Lecture (1 hr)
	Memory systems and processes 2	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 02	Long-term memory 1	Lecture (1 hr)
	Long-term memory 2	Lecture (1 hr)
	Applications of theories of memory	Lecture (1 hr)
	Introduction to course and assessments; research report data collection	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 03	Thinking and problem solving	Lecture (1 hr)
	Problem-solving heuristics	Lecture (1 hr)
	Representation and problem solving	Lecture (1 hr)
	Working memory: demonstrations and discussion	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 04	Decision-making phenomena	Lecture (1 hr)
	Heuristics and biases	Lecture (1 hr)
	Adaptive approaches	Lecture (1 hr)
	Long term memory: demonstration and discussion; research report webinar	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 05	Early and late selection and models of attention	Lecture (1 hr)
	Attentional capacity and automaticity	Lecture (1 hr)
	Control over attention and preattentive processes	Lecture (1 hr)
	Problem solving: experiment and discussion	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 06	Divided attention, inattentional blindness and change blindness	Lecture (1 hr)
	Divided attention	Lecture (1 hr)
	Hearing 1	Lecture (1 hr)
	Decision making: demonstration and discussion	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 07	Hearing 2	Lecture (1 hr)
	Hearing 3	Lecture (1 hr)
	Consciousness 1	Lecture (1 hr)
	Attention: demonstration and discussion	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 08	Consciousness 2	Lecture (1 hr)
	Colour Vision 1	Lecture (1 hr)
	Perception tute 1: hearing	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 09	Colour Vision 2 (REPORT DUE)	Lecture (1 hr)
	Colour Vision 3	Lecture (1 hr)
	Colour Vision 4	Lecture (1 hr)
	Perception tute 2: vision	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 10	Constancies and Virtual reality	Lecture (1 hr)
	What is Intelligence?	Lecture (1 hr)
	Is there one or more Intelligences?	Lecture (1 hr)
	Demonstration and discussion: How to make an intelligence test	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 11	What are the social/emotional bases of Intelligence?	Lecture (1 hr)
	What are the biological bases of Intelligence?	Lecture (1 hr)
	Psychometric approaches to the study of Intellligence	Lecture (1 hr)
	Hands on experience: how to design an IQ test	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 12	Measurement and assessment issues	Lecture (1 hr)
	Within-person approaches to Intelligence	Lecture (1 hr)
	Executive functions: Unity and diversity	Lecture (1 hr)
	Demonstration and discussion: Fluid cognitive functions	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 13	Dynamic assessment	Lecture (1 hr)
	Complex problem-solving and work-based assessments	Lecture (1 hr)
	The future of intelligence testing	Lecture (1 hr)
	Scaling and validating our intelligence test	Tutorial (1 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

Attendance: Attendance is recorded at all tutorials and some lectures and it is highly recommended you attend all timetabled activities. You will struggle to pass this course if you do not attend more than 80% of timetabled activities. Depending on the reliability of the recording system, all lectures will be recorded, however recordings will be paused occasionally due to sensitive or copyrighted material, or audience interaction.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

TEXTBOOKS

No single textbook covers all the topics taught in this course so we must recommend more than one text. Because we realize that students may not be able to afford three books for a single course, multiple copies of these texts will be made available in the Library Reserve so you may copy the relevant sections as an alternative to buying the complete text. However, please note that in previous years that demand for the texts in Reserve is extremely high, and students have reported they have not been able to access the texts in Reserve when they have wanted them. The recommended texts are:

Perception:

Wolfe, J.M., Kluender, K.R., Levi, D.M., Bartoshuk, L.M., Herz, R.S., Klatzky, R., Lederman, S.J., and Merfeld, D.M. Sensation and Perception (4th edition).

Cognitive Processes:

Eysenck, M.W., & Keane, M.T. (2015). Cognitive Psychology: A student’s handbook (7th edition). New York: Psychology Press.

Intelligence:

Sternberg, R. J. (Ed.). (2018). The nature of human intelligence. Cambridge University Press. https://sydney.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/61USYD_INST/1c0ug48/alma991031550535505106

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

Outcomes
Graduate qualities

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

LO1. understand the 3 core areas of psychology taught in this course: perception, cognition, and intelligence
LO2. critique theories and research practices in perception, cognition, and intelligence
LO3. understand the core research design principles and statistical approaches used throughout psychology; apply them in a critical manner; and understand the main ethical principles guiding research in this discipline
LO4. apply the APA style of scientific writing to the generation of a research report
LO5. construct and create scientific information that can be communicated both orally and through written work to diverse groups
LO6. engage in culturally diverse group discussions to identify, recognise and debate the strengths and limitations in the various approaches used in perception, cognitive processes, and intelligence.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1	Depth of disciplinary expertise Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.
GQ2	Critical thinking and problem solving Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.
GQ3	Oral and written communication Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.
GQ4	Information and digital literacy Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.
GQ5	Inventiveness Generating novel ideas and solutions.
GQ6	Cultural competence Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.
GQ7	Interdisciplinary effectiveness Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.
GQ8	Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.
GQ9	Influence Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes	Graduate qualities
Learning outcomes

Responding to student feedback

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

No changes have been made since this unit was last offered.

Additional information

Work, health and safety

We are governed by the Work Health and Safety Act 2011, Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 and Codes of Practice. Penalties for non-compliance have increased. Everyone has a responsibility for health and safety at work. The University’s Work Health and Safety policy explains the responsibilities and expectations of workers and others, and the procedures for managing WHS risks associated with University activities.

General laboratory safety rules

No eating or drinking is allowed in any laboratory under any circumstances
A laboratory coat and closed-toe shoes are mandatory
Follow safety instructions in your manual and posted in laboratories
In case of fire, follow instructions posted outside the laboratory door
First aid kits, eye wash and fire extinguishers are located in or immediately outside each laboratory
As a precautionary measure, it is recommended that you have a current tetanus immunisation. This can be obtained from University Health Service: unihealth.usyd.edu.au/

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Work, health and safety

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect

Current students

PSYC2016: Perception, Cognition, and Intelligence

Semester 2, 2021 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Work, health and safety

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect