ID:
180019-EN2
Dettaglio:
SSD: PSICOBIOLOGIA E PSICOLOGIA FISIOLOGICA
Durata: 24
CFU: 4
Sede:
BERGAMO
Anno:
2025
Course Catalogue:
The course aims to provide students with a knowledge of the main topics of social and cognitive neurosciences, with a particular focus on the potential of the various available methodologies and of the translational impact of research in this field (clinical aspects, educational aspects, etc). Students will gain a thorough understanding of the intellectual issues that drive the field of cognitive and social neuroscience, and will learn to apply the acquired knowledge to design and carry out empirical studies, to select the relevant literature in the available scientific databases, and to present small projects related to the research field.
Some basic knowledge of psychology and biology would facilitate a better understanding of the course content. To attend Module 2 of the course, it is necessary to have attended Module 1.
Teaching will be conducted through both frontal and interactive lectures with the help of video/web resources, group and individual activities (such as group presentations, literature research for small projects, etc). Non-attending students must contact the course teacher before the beginning of the course.
Module 1: Students’ evaluation will be based on a final written exam consisting of 30 multiple-choice questions and one open-ended question. The purpose of the questions is to assess both the theoretical knowledge acquired and the students’ ability to integrate different aspects of social cognitive neuroscience. The open-ended question will be evaluated based on the accuracy of the response, the strength of the argumentation, and the analytical discussion of course topics.
Module 2: Evaluation will be based on activities carried out during the lessons, in particular: an in-depth study of a specific topic and the presentation of the work conducted. Non-attending students will be required to carry out alternative activities, to be agreed upon with the instructor before the beginning of the course.
Final Grade: The final grade will be the average of the evaluations from both modules.
Foundational principles and methods of social cognitive neuroscience - Evolutionary origins of social intelligence and culture - Emotion and motivation - Neural bases of face and body processing - Social neuroscience of empathy and the mirror neuron system - Social decision making and neural bases of altruism - The neuroscience of morality and antisocial behavior - Groups and identity - Hot topics in cognitive and social neuroscience discussed in recently published scientific articles
Italian and English articles will be provided to support the investigation of certain issues. Students who do not attend classes, as well as working students, are required to follow the program outlined above. For any inquiries, they may contact the instructor either in person or via e-mail.