200111 SE Emphasis SE: Methods & Techniques of Cognitive Psychology and of Neurosciences Neurowissenschaften (2016W)

The main aim of this course is to provide the basic conceptual foundations that support the methods and techniques used in research in cognitive psychology and neuroscience. These issues will be explored within the fields of Empirical Aesthetics, Psychopharmacology and Social Neuroscience. The seminar will be held by Christoph Eisenegger, Michael Forster, Gernot Gerger, and Claus Lamm. Each will host three sessions.

Details on each part (for class schedule see below):

Forster: The first three sessions will review the theoretical background of psychological research and hypothesis testing. Then we recap the steps in designing experiments and the common paradigms of experimental research, their pros and cons, and application. In the last session I will present some support for scientific writing and argumentation.

Lamm: The first two sessions aim to deepen the understanding of the variety of methods used in Social Cognitive Neuroscience, with a particular focus on human neuroscience methods such as fMRI, EEG, and TMS. In the third session, the focus will be on deepening the understanding of the neural underpinnings of empathy, emotional egocentricity, and prosociality.

Eisenegger: The first unit will provide an introduction to psychopharmacology and what it can contribute to psychology/ behavioral research in humans. We will cover topics such as pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. The second unit will provide an introduction to decision making research (Neuroeconomics), with a presentation of examplary behavioral paradigms that allow measuring fairness. The third unit will wrap up the first two units by a detailed discussion of two papers on the role of the dopaminergic system in the modulation of fairness.

Gerger: The part “Empirical Aesthetics” first discusses theoretical models of empirical aesthetics with a special focus on emotional processes and how those are measured (facial EMG). The following sessions cover an in-depth look at the relationship between empathy and aesthetics. This will be supported by articles on that topic coming from different domains, such as psychology, philosophy, empirical studies.

Class schedule:
05/Oct, 12/ Oct, 19/ Oct: (Forster) Experimental design and planning
09/Nov, 16/Nov, 23/Nov: (Lamm) Social Neuroscience methods and empathy
30/Nov, 7/Dec, 14/Dec: (Eisenegger) Psychopharmacology/Neuroeconomics
11/Jan,18/Jan, 25/Jan: (Gerger) Experimental aesthetics and empathy