Comparative Cognition-E2
| Numbering Code | U-LAS14 20020 LE68 | Year/Term | 2022 ・ Second semester | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Credits | 2 | Course Type | Lecture | |
| Target Year | All students | Target Student | For science students | |
| Language | English | Day/Period | Mon.3 | |
| Instructor name | Andrew MacIntosh (Wildlife Research Center Associate Professor) | |||
| Outline and Purpose of the Course | Comparative cognition offers a ride through the mental capacities of animals as simple as the humble bumblebee and as complex as our own closest relative, the chimpanzee. In our quest to understand the origins of the human mind, we cannot forget that like all organisms on earth, we are but a small part of the great evolutionary tree of life. In this course, students learn about animal cognition through the lens of behavior, ecology and evolution. Students learn about how and why animals use cognition to help them navigate their physical and social worlds, and how and why they learn and remember things about their environments. The course has a strong emphasis on evolutionary theory, as well as the cognitive experiments that have allowed scientists to discover what we now know about the animal mind. | |||
| Course Goals |
In this course, students will learn to: - apply the scientific method to questions about cognition and behavior - distinguish between evidence-based statements about what animals are thinking and mere anthropomorphic descriptions - appreciate that human cognition is the product of a long evolutionary process, just as it is in all other species - understand that cognition has both general (connected) and modular components that help animals solve the problems that are important to them |
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| Schedule and Contents |
This course will be conducted in 5 parts, as described below. In principle, each topic within each part reflects one class, but the order and spacing of topics may be moved depending on the flow of the course or the occurrence of specific events related to the course material. Part 1 - the science of comparative cognition 1. introducing cognition, evolution and behavior 2. the comparative method and the evolution of the animal brain 3. evolutionary and ecological pressures driving cognition Part 2 - basic cognitive processes 4. sensing, perceiving and attending to the world 5-6. connecting the dots through learning & memory Part 3 - finding our way in the physical world 7. spatial cognition 8. telling time & counting 9. foraging, planning & using tools Part 4 - finding our way in the social world 11. communication & language 12. social cognition and social competence 13. social learning and animal culture Part 5 - putting it all together 14. understanding ourselves, Darwin’s ‘degree not kind’, ethics of cognitive knowledge *Note that there will be a midterm examination held during the 7th or 8th week of class, depending on course progress and suitability, as well as the final exam at the end. Details will be announced well in advance during class and via PandA/KULASIS. |
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| Evaluation Methods and Policy |
course participation - 10% course report - 30% midterm exam - 30% final exam - 30% |
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| Course Requirements | None | |||
| Study outside of Class (preparation and review) |
This course will use Kyoto University's online Learning Management System (LMS) PandA. Please get familiar with the system before starting the course. There will be required content in PandA during the course, including on-demand video lectures, additional videos and readings, as well as ongoing discussion in the forums. For the term paper, students are expected to conduct literature research and write a report, as well as review a small number of reports from fellow classmates as part of the assignment. Finally, exams are conducted online (on-demand) outside of class hours during examination periods. The course will follow the format of flipped education, in which lectures are viewed on-demand outside of class time, and class time is used for questions, discussion and lecture-related activities. |
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| Textbooks | Textbooks/References |
Cognition, Evolution, Behavior, Sara J. Shettleworth, (Oxford University Press, 2010), ISBN:978-0-19-531984-2, Recommended, not required. Material in textbook enhances learning. Comparative Cognition, Mary C. Olmstead, Valerie A. Kuhlmeier, (Cambridge University Press, 2015), ISBN:978-1-107-01116-8, Recommended, not required. Material in textbook enhances learning. |
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