2017-2018 / PSYC0061-1

Animal cognition

Duration

30h Th

Number of credits

 Master in biology of organisms and ecology (120 ECTS)3 crédits 
 Master in psychology (120 ECTS)3 crédits 

Lecturer

André Ferrara

Language(s) of instruction

French language

Organisation and examination

Teaching in the second semester

Units courses prerequisite and corequisite

Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program

Learning unit contents

Proposed issue examples :

  • Animal cognition and environmental enrichment.
  • Animal cognition and physical exercice.
  • Touchscreen uses with laboratory mice.
  • Episodic-like memory in animal.
  • Executive functions in animals.
  • Operant conditionin.
  • Social learning.
  • Discriminative learning.
  • Representation of time, nimber and order.
  • Navigation.
  • ...
 

Learning outcomes of the learning unit

Being able to draw up the theoretical context of the chosen issue. Ultimately, there is for the psychologist or the biologist, an issue needing a behavioral and/or a cognitive assessment. How the assessment is practically realized in animal subjects? How are the behavioral aspects operationaly measured? Which inferences can we make on cognition from the observed behavior? Being able to present an experimental design and understand its pros and cons.

Prerequisite knowledge and skills

Planned learning activities and teaching methods

Lectures and reading report and/or oral presentation.

Mode of delivery (face-to-face ; distance-learning)

...

Recommended or required readings

The bibliographical research constitutes the first step of this work.

Assessment methods and criteria

In consultation with the teacher, elaboration of an oral presentation and/or realization of a written report.
Evaluation of the quality of :

  • the definition and presentation of the chosen issue.
  • the definition of the various assessed behavioural and cognitive aspects (taking into account the potential difficulties and pitfalls).
  • putting on the white coat of the researcher, the ability to formulate an experimental strategy.

Work placement(s)

Organizational remarks

The deadlines for the written report delivery and/or for the oral presentation will be defined with the students.

Contacts

Ferrara André (04/366.22.32 - a.ferrara@ulg.ac.be ).