This module is an introduction to topics in visual and auditory perception and attention, speech perception and learning. It is intended to provide a background in knowledge of these areas through a series of lectures and practical sessions. We provide a historical background as well as a modern perspective on these topics, discussing early theories, more recent theoretical accounts, and how neuroimaging has advanced our knowledge of the brain mechanisms involved in perception and attention. The module also covers some disorders of perception and attention, and highlights links with language, through lectures on speech perception.

 

There are ten lectures and three supporting tutorials/lab classes involving discussion and practical demonstrations. Students are given directed reading lists associated with each topic. The practical classes are interactive, in that students have an opportunity to design their own experiments and participate in experiments.

 

Aims

To provide a general grounding in perception, attention and learning, including a brief historical perspective;
	To critically evaluate previous studies in perception, attention, and learning;
	To show some classic findings in these fields through a series of practical sessions;
	To demonstrate how research in neuroimaging has increased our understanding of perception and attention;
	To discuss interactions between attention, perception, and learning in human cognitive processing;
	To show how visual and auditory perception interact with one another;
	To explain how impairments in perception and attention can lead to specific disorders;
	• To provide experience generating novel research questions and running a small-scale experiment
Knowledge and understanding

By the end of the course unit, students will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

Key theoretical accounts of attention
	Theories of visual, auditory and speech perception
	Brain mechanisms involved in perception and attention
	Disorders of attention and perception
	Audio-visual perception and attention
	Different types of learning mechanisms, including perceptual learning, implicit and explicit learning
	Key studies in the literature on perception, attention, and learning
	Interactions between attention, perception and learning
 