Introduction to Cognitive Science

Welcome to the world of cognitive science, where the goal is nothing less than simulating the precise workings of the human brain. But with the mind hidden in the proverbial “black box,” how can science unravel its mysteries? Learn about the early theories of behaviorism and how the invention of the digital computer became the single most important development in the rise of cognitive science.

Professor Polk takes you on a quick tour of the anatomy of the brain. In addition to examining important structures and where they’re located inside the brain, you’ll also learn about their function. You’ll see firsthand where vision happens; how information is communicated between the hemispheres; and the brain regions involved in sleep, motor control, and memory.

Explore the fascinating cognitive process of human language, one of our most powerful tools. Discover some of the key features of natural languages and how we acquire them. You might be surprised to learn that one of the most significant aspects of language that we use every single day is ... guessing.

Meet French patient Louis Victor Leborgne and his physician Paul Broca. Learn how Broca’s work set the foundation for understanding that an injury in one brain region does not necessarily undermine cognitive function in other areas. Although the neurobiology of human languages is not yet fully understood, explore the dual stream model of language processing.

Artificial neural networks play a central role in cognitive science. Learn how these networks simulate the excitatory and inhibitory processing of real neurons, and how scientists train the networks using sophisticated learning algorithms. This type of modeling provides the foundation for the development of ChatGPT and other AI applications.

Learn about the violation-of-expectation paradigm that allows researchers to study infant cognition with often surprising results. From physical to psychological to moral reasoning, scientists have determined that babies and very young children understand much more about the world than we had previously realized.