Social Cognitive Neuroscience – PSYC 867

CG • Section 8WK • 07/01/2018 to 12/31/2199 • Modified 09/05/2023

Course Description

This course provides an overview of emerging research in Social Cognitive Neuroscience with a look at social influences on the nervous system, including the neural basis of social interaction, and the neural basis of perceptions about our social world.

For information regarding prerequisites for this course, please refer to the Academic Course Catalog.

Rationale

Social interactions are a staple of daily living- something that we all experience and are vital to our well-being. In fact, God Himself emphasizes our social nature by stating that the most important commandment is to love Him and love others (Matthew 22:36-40). This course aims to help us understand the neurobiological basis for our social interaction. This course will emphasize previous and current research in the field and draw students to developing their own thoughts and proposals related to social neuroscience.

Course Assignment

Textbook readings and lecture presentations/notes

Course Requirements Checklist

After reading the Course Syllabus and Student Expectations, the student will complete the related checklist found in the Course Overview.

Discussions (4)

Discussions are collaborative learning experiences. Therefore, the student is required to provide a thread in response to the provided prompt for each discussion. Each thread must be 400 words and demonstrate course-related knowledge. The student must include at least 2 peer-reviewed articles in current APA formatting. In addition to the thread, the student is required to reply to 2 other classmates’ threads. Each reply must be 200 words. Each reply must incorporate at least 1 scholarly citation and one Scripture verse. More specific instructions are included in the discussion prompts.

Article Review Assignments (3)

Students will read the assigned peer-reviewed article. They will submit a 3-4 page summary of the article according to the instructions provided.

Research Proposal Outline Assignment

Student will outline research proposal idea. The outline will include the hypothesis and basic experimental design according to the instructions provided. The body of the document (not including title page) should be 1-2 pages in length. Upon satisfactory completion, student will be permitted to begin research proposal.

Research Proposal Assignment

The student will write a 5-7 page research proposal in current APA formatting. They will design a hypothetical study in the field of social cognitive neuroscience. They will summarize previous research supporting their proposal and provide a practical, simple research design. The student should cite at least 5 peer-reviewed, scholarly articles. More instructions are provided in the instructions.

Quizzes (Midterm and Final)

Each quiz will cover the Learn material for the assigned modules. Each quiz will be open-book/open-notes, contain 75 multiple-choice and true/false questions, and have a 2.5 hour time limit.