COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY WITH RESEARCH METHODS 1 - 2025/6

Module Overview

This module will provide an introduction to the major topics and issues within cognitive psychology. This will be done through a series of lectures and research based seminars, which will provide students with an opportunity to integrate their developing knowledge of cognitive psychology with practical skills relating to cognitive research methods. This knowledge and skills will provide a foundation for the Level 5 module Cognitive Psychology with Research Methods 2 (PSY2014).

Module provider

Psychology

Module Leader

JAYES Lewis (Psychology)

Number of Credits: 15

ECTS Credits: 7.5

Framework: FHEQ Level 4

Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A

Module Availability

Semester 2

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

None.

Module content

Lectures

The weekly lectures will cover theories and findings related to the following general topic areas:

Conceptual and historical issues in cognitive psychology

Methods in cognitive psychology

Attention and selection

Memory and learning

Creativity

Concepts and categories

Thinking and problem solving

Language

 

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

N/A

Assessment Strategy

Summative assessment for this module consists of:

•  One scientific poster presentation to be submitted during semester 2


•   One exam during the formal semester exam period

Learning Outcomes 1 and 2 will be assessed in the exam. Learning Outcomes 2 and 3 will be assessed in the scientific poster.

Formative assessment and feedback
Students will participate in regular interactive discussions within lecture sessions that involve group-level or individual formative feedback (e.g., on their understanding of a topic or their ability to critically evaluate a theory). Workshops are run throughout the module to give students firsthand experience with cognitive research, providing opportunities for feedback on coursework assignment. 

Module aims

• To build the foundational knowledge of Cognitive Psychology theory and research. Participation in the lectures will expose students to a range of cognitive psychology topics, methods and theory.
• Foster a critical evaluation of cognitive science
• To develop quantitative research methodological abilities. Participation in the lectures and tutorials will let students gain a practical understanding of experimental cognitive psychology research. They will have the opportunity to demonstrate their research skills by writing a research poster..
• Develop the critical understanding of advantages and disadvantages of major research methods used in cognitive psychology
• Develop scientific communication skills by communicating the rationale, methodology, results and findings of an empirical research using cognitive research methods

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching methods include: Lectures, research-based seminars and independent student reading.


•    Weekly lectures on core topics

•    Research-based seminars to provide an opportunity to integrate knowledge of cognitive psychology with practical research skills. In these seminars we will introduce students to the research area, conduct an experiment, discuss the experiment and theory, and discuss the scientific poster assignment.
•    A dedicated SurreyLearn site, where the reading list, handouts from the lectures, relevant links and workshop materials are available.
•    Readings will be set each week, including relevant chapters in the required text book and further readings such as journals articles. The essential readings will ensure a thorough understanding of the topic, and the recommended readings will provide further detail using specific examples.

Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.

Reading list

https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: PSY1017

Other information

The School of Psychology is committed to developing graduates with strengths in Employability, Digital Capabilities, Global and Cultural Capabilities, Sustainability, and Resourcefulness and Resilience. This module is designed to allow students to develop knowledge, skills and capabilities in the following areas:

Resourcefulness and Resilience: This module includes a research report that requires a high level of independence and problem solving as students are given a realistic research experience of collecting, analysing, and writing up an experiment and tackling the challenges that this involves. Students are supported in doing this this by developing the necessary skills during the seminars.

Digital Capabilities: Students are required to process and analyse data from their experiment using current software packages (e.g. Jamovi and Gorilla) and the creation of a poster. This involves managing and cleaning raw data prior to analysis. Together, this provides a valuable experience of using software for realistic data analysis.

Employability: This module develops skills in managing complex data collection and interpreting the data meaningfully.

Programmes this module appears in

Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2025/6 academic year.