PSYCH 85
Introduction to Cognitive Science
Description: Lecture, three hours. Exploration of computer metaphor of mind as an information-processing system, focusing especially on perception, knowledge representation, and thought based on research in cognitive psychology, neuropsychology, and artificial intelligence. Many examples from visual information processing.
Units: 4.0
Units: 4.0
Most Helpful Review
Summer 2020 - This class is unlike other psychology/life science classes. It questions theoretical probabilities rather than simply lecturing facts and expects the students to form their opinions while remaining open-minded on topics such as consciousness, free will, and judgement. The textbook does not help, although it is available for $25 pdf copy. Pros: Professor McAuliffe respected the time of his students; he always started and ended in the designated time slot. His materials outside of his slides (videos, examples, personal stories) were engaging and interesting. He does a good job of not imposing opinions and encourages discussion. Cons: However, his instructions for a video project (15% of grade) were vague. Although I appreciated the artistic freedom, it would've been nice to have more guidance. Lecture recordings were sometimes uploaded 3 days late. Sometimes, he accelerates and skimps his explanations of important topics for the sake of time, and in my class, explicitly said that he would skip a topic that later showed up in 5 questions on the final exam. Especially for a class that relied on Zoom and slides, I would've liked more prompt email communication between the professor and student.
Summer 2020 - This class is unlike other psychology/life science classes. It questions theoretical probabilities rather than simply lecturing facts and expects the students to form their opinions while remaining open-minded on topics such as consciousness, free will, and judgement. The textbook does not help, although it is available for $25 pdf copy. Pros: Professor McAuliffe respected the time of his students; he always started and ended in the designated time slot. His materials outside of his slides (videos, examples, personal stories) were engaging and interesting. He does a good job of not imposing opinions and encourages discussion. Cons: However, his instructions for a video project (15% of grade) were vague. Although I appreciated the artistic freedom, it would've been nice to have more guidance. Lecture recordings were sometimes uploaded 3 days late. Sometimes, he accelerates and skimps his explanations of important topics for the sake of time, and in my class, explicitly said that he would skip a topic that later showed up in 5 questions on the final exam. Especially for a class that relied on Zoom and slides, I would've liked more prompt email communication between the professor and student.
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Most Helpful Review
Winter 2023 - The Professor is nice and his lectures are usually pretty good. He tends to read off the slides a lot. The workload isn't bad at all because the readings are more recommended than required. The tests weren't too difficult either, especially since he made the final a take-home test. As long as you keep up with the material and study before the midterm and final, you should be fine. There are also group quizzes, so it would be helpful to form a group to do the quizzes with early on.
Winter 2023 - The Professor is nice and his lectures are usually pretty good. He tends to read off the slides a lot. The workload isn't bad at all because the readings are more recommended than required. The tests weren't too difficult either, especially since he made the final a take-home test. As long as you keep up with the material and study before the midterm and final, you should be fine. There are also group quizzes, so it would be helpful to form a group to do the quizzes with early on.
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Most Helpful Review
Winter 2019 - for anyone reading during the 2021-22 school year: ------------------------------- SELLING HARD COPY OF THE TEXTBOOK (Cognitive Science: An Introduction to the Study of Mind (3rd Edition) by Friedenberg & Silverman) FOR $40 i bought it for $56. price is VERY negotiable! text ********** if you're interested ------------------------------- solid class. you have to put in the preparation for the exams but rissman wants you to do well!
Winter 2019 - for anyone reading during the 2021-22 school year: ------------------------------- SELLING HARD COPY OF THE TEXTBOOK (Cognitive Science: An Introduction to the Study of Mind (3rd Edition) by Friedenberg & Silverman) FOR $40 i bought it for $56. price is VERY negotiable! text ********** if you're interested ------------------------------- solid class. you have to put in the preparation for the exams but rissman wants you to do well!
Most Helpful Review
OK, his Psych 85 class is OBSCENELY hard. I fail to lie. The reading is hard and nasty, and the content is dense. BUT, if you really try, and go to office hours and ask questions (or listen to other people ask questions) and do your final paper and really stick it out until the end, you will appreciate a very energetic, kind, and cool professor.
OK, his Psych 85 class is OBSCENELY hard. I fail to lie. The reading is hard and nasty, and the content is dense. BUT, if you really try, and go to office hours and ask questions (or listen to other people ask questions) and do your final paper and really stick it out until the end, you will appreciate a very energetic, kind, and cool professor.