What can cognition and brain function tell us about cultural forms? And how does culture impinge on cognitive processing and brain functions? The interface between culture on the one hand, and cognition and brain science on the other is a fast-developing research area attracting numerous scholars and scientists with different backgrounds.
Neuroscientists, psychologists, sociologists, economists, anthropologists, and humanists of various sorts seek to find out how evolved cognitive capacities, cultural learning and social and institutional forms interact to constrain, or even produce, human behavior. Such interdisciplinary work not only calls for a high degree of translatability between terminologies found in each individual discipline. It further calls for knowledge about, and experience with, different methodologies.
This course is directed to students of human behavior who have a background in social sciences or the humanities and an interest in using experimental methods in investigating their topic. It will combine practical teaching in experimental methods with lectures by top-level scientists, including Pascal Boyer, Chris Frith and Uta Frith. Course offered by the Faculty of Theology, AU.
Period
01-08-2011 - 26-08-2011 (4 weeks)
Target group
BA-degree in humanities or social sciences. If number of applicants exceeds 30, selection will be based on grade point average.
Course aim
The overall objective of this course is to (a) give a thorough introduction to theories about the interface of cognitive processing, cultural learning and social forms; (b) introduce and instruct participants to concrete experimental methods pertaining to this theme.The interface between culture and cognition is a fast-developing research area attracting numerous scholars and scientists with different backgrounds.
Neuroscientists, psychologists, sociologists, economists, anthropologists, and humanists of various sorts seek to find out how evolved cognitive capacities, cultural learning and social and institutional forms interact to constrain, or even produce, human behavior. Such interdisciplinary work not only calls for a high degree of translatability between terminologies found in each individual discipline. It further calls for knowledge about, and experience with, different methodologies.
This course is directed to students of human behavior who have a background in social sciences or the humanities and an interest in using experimental methods in investigating their topic.The course will combine top-level lectures by internationally renowned specialists with practical instructions, teaching and workshops aimed to enhance students' abilities to engage in concrete research projects that address well-defined research questions.
The course thus aims to (a) sharpen participants' theoretical awareness through concrete instructions in a number of experimental methods (e.g. behavioral experiments, game theory, fMRI); (b) enhance their abilities to identify and delineate relevant scientific problems; and to (c) construct realistic research projects through a 'hand-on-process' involving cooperation in small groups aimed at constructing, and perhaps piloting, concrete experiments.
Credits
10.0 ECTS credits
Course fee
EUR 0: See website for information regarding fees
Course leader
Jesper Srensen
Aarhus University International Centre
Address: Hoeg Guldbergs Gade 4, building 1650 Aarhus C
Postal code: 8000
City: Aarhus
Country: Denmark
Website: http://www.au.dk/summeruniversity
E-mail: SummerUniversity@adm.au.dk
Phone: +45 8942 2320
Experimental Methods in the Study of Cognition and Culture
